Alter ego . Latin phrase that can be translated as “the other me”. The concept is used to name a person who has absolute confidence, which allows him to do himself without restrictions. On the other hand, it can be about the person (real or fictitious) in whom an imitation or a reproduction of another is identified or recognized.
Summary
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- 1 Origin of expression
- 2 Meaning
- 3 Alter ego in psychology
- 4 Risks and benefits
- 5 famous examples
- 6 The alter egos of the most famous writers of literature
- 7 Use in the show
- 8 Use in Law
- 9 Sources
Origin of expression
The first to use the word alter ego was Franz Anton Mesmer a doctor of the eighteenth century which employed some practices Hipnosis for their treatments. He found that some people showed strange sides of themselves during the hypnotic trance, as if they were others. Mesmer called that other self that emerged under these conditions an alter ego. However, the term “alter ego” did not catch on until later.
In the nineteenth century , it began to be used more frequently in the field of psychology . This was due to the discovery and research on Dissociative Identity Disorder , which causes an individual to present several personalities that change in a cyclical way.
Meaning
Literally, the ego is the “me” and the alter ego is the “other me”. We are aware of the first. It is what we call personality , those traits that define and differentiate us. The alter ego, on the other hand, lives more in our unconscious world. It is that villain , that hero or that artist that is asleep in us. Another identity that, for multiple reasons, did not finally develop. The term “alter ego” may have slightly different meanings. However, it always refers to a second identity held by a person, which is easily distinguishable from the original. This second personality can appear caused by a mental disorder, such as Dissociative Identity Disorder; however, this is not the only cause, not even the most common.
Alter ego in psychology
In psychology it is used to name the second personality of a subject. The alter ego, in this case, supposes a dissociation produced by an identity disorder, in which the “I” has more than one personality who act in different ways. Unfortunately, the appearance of an alter ego does not always have to be beneficial. In the case of Dissociative Identity Disorder , the fact that an individual radically changes the way they behave frequently is a symptom of a much more serious problem.
Risks and benefits
The alter ego is only a harmful factor in the case of Dissociative Identity Disorder , better known as “multiple personality”. In this pathology, the other self, or the other selves, are built unconsciously and for unhealthy purposes. Instead, if the alter ego is built consciously and with healthy purposes, it is actually possible that it becomes an excellent resource to evolve and live better. Identity is a concept that sometimes becomes limiting, since in general it only corresponds to a part of ourselves, but we usually assume it as a whole. The idea of having a second personalityor even trying to create it may sound very strange to most people. However, unless the appearance of an alter ego is the result of a psychological disorder, research suggests that having an alternate identity could even be beneficial. In fact, some experts are beginning to recommend consciously creating an alter ego to help people overcome their fears or difficulties in their life. This is part of a type of approach known as ‘gamification’, which seeks to get individuals to face what happens to them in their day-to-day life as if it were a game. Thus, when a person creates an identity separate from his own, he can try to assume it at times when he feels blocked or does not know what to do. For example,
Famous examples
This idea is usually taken in fiction to symbolize the moral struggle between good and evil that can develop inside a person. The most famous case is the one that appears in the famous book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , created by Robert Louis Stevenson , where Jekyll is a renowned scientist and Hyde is a dark personality and misanthropic of himself.
In the same way, we must highlight the fact that within the world of comics there is also a notable existence of characters who have their alter ego. Thus, for example, behind Superman is the journalist Clark Kent ; Spiderman is actually the photographer Peter Parker and hidden under Batman’s clothing is the millionaire Bruce Wayne . Another example of a fictional alter ego was created by JRR Tolkien in his Lord of the Rings series , where Gollum appears as Sméagol’s alter ego .
It is also important to recognize that many writers have created their works by making them star their alter egos. That would be the case, for example, of the lady of suspense, Agatha Christie .
Will Smith , for example, rose to fame thanks to his alter ego “The Fresh Prince”; and Eminem , the well-known rapper, always talks about his alternate version “Slim Shady”, a violent and dark character.
The alter egos of the most famous writers of literature
- Nick Adams – Ernest Hemingway
- Henry Bech – John Updike
- Henry Chinaski – Charles Bukowski
- Kilgore Trout as Kurt Vonnegut
- Nathan Zuckerman – Philip Roth
- Arturo Belano – Roberto Bolaño
- Esther Greenwood as Sylvia Plath
Use in the show
The alter egos are used by numerous artists who make use of the stage or the screen both to entertain the public, and to explore new identities of themselves:
- An early example of a musical group making use of alter ego was The Beatles , who recorded and performed as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.
- Often these artists are known almost exclusively for their alter egos, for example Brian Warner Marilyn Manson is rarely seen in public without his terrifying makeup.
The more subtle uses of alter ego can be seen in artists looking to redefine their image for an album:
- Christina Aguilera as XTina
- Madonna as Mistress Dita
- Beyoncé as Knowles
- Katy Perry as Kathy Beth Terry
Comedians also make use of alter ego as part of their routines. The Marx Brothers are well known for using alter ego in their film work.
Professional wrestlers, more regularly, perform under their alter ego names (sometimes known as ring names), such as:
- Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan)
- Mark Calaway (The Undertaker)
- Paul Levesque (Triple H)
- Mike Mizanin (The Miz)
- Phillip Brooks (CM Punk).
Use in Law
The concept is used in commercial law , especially corporate law, in the Doctrine of the alter ego, also called Lifting the corporate veil, which consists of the unenforceability of the legal personality of a company or institution by the partners and the consequent obligation of the same to the fulfillment of the obligations of the same. This represents an exception to the general rule of the right of limitation of liability of the partners with respect to the debts of the company in which they are participants (normally limited to the participation or amount invested) and allows the courts to dispense with the external form of the legal person and reach the people behind.
By this doctrine , the partners are fully responsible when the legal entity of the company has been built to divert the responsibilities of the former by creating companies or institutions to screen certain legal actions. Hence it is called “the alter ego”, where the company or company is a true disguise of the true agents.
