In the previous post I talked about the role of the functional self (preconscious). The functional self, as we noted, is the part of us that lives in the world. It is our autopilot when we are lost in thought while we drive, walk or do any number of tasks.
While the functional self is aware of, and immersed in, the world, the ego is aware of itself. The ego is aware of itself, it is our self-awareness. Without the ego we would have no sense of self, no sense of being an individual. Without the ego we would have no sense of personal history.
Our conscious self (ego) makes us aware of the passage of time, allows us to sense personal growth and change. While our functional self is busy sensing and perceiving, our ego is savoring, judging, assessing, deciding and directing our experience. While the functional self is living and documenting the ego is appreciating and reviewing.
The ego is that aspect of us that takes ownership and responsibility for what we say, do and think. The conscious self feels pride, embarrassment, compassion, love, etc. While the functional self is absorbed in the actual and is pretty much bounded by the present, the ego is free to play with the possible and ruminate on the future.
The ego’s ability to play with the possible is what allows us to create, plan, invent, and problem solve. The functional self documents and stores much of the sensory data of our life. It is the ego which reviews, recollects and learns from this data base. The conscious self’s ability to smoothly go between the past, present and future gives our life meaning and history.
The dictum of many spiritualists and psychologists to be in the present or be here now is fraught with misleading expectations and complaints.The functional self is almost always in the present in the actual. The ego should not be expected to be in the present, for the ego can be aware of the present not be in the present.The ego’s distance is the very reason it can reflect, savor, appreciate and alter our experience.
The conscious self is the witness to each one of our lives. A person who was totally present would not be able to see, savor, appreciate, or understand his experiences. This is why it is essential for us to have both a functional and conscious self.Those who complain the loudest about the ego seem to miss this fact.
Many spiritualists and psychologists go so far as to to advocate for the destruction of the ego. They point how often the ego’s false sense of ownership and its tendency to babble cause pain and remove one from what is important. Yes, the ego can be overly absent and preoccupied, and yes it’s sense of ownership is critical to our suffering and pain. Yet, the ego’s sense of ownership and self-awareness is also essential for our experience of joy, love and happiness.The ego can be overly absent and trivial, but that same ability to be not present is also necessary to our ability to create, plan, admire and savor.
To a large degree it is each of our choice whether we abuse or maximize the abilities and proclivities of the ego. In the next post I plan on discussing more in depth our societies tendency to demonize the ego and the effects it has on our perception of life and death.
Jim Guido