Feeling Good About Yourself

We have all seen a character in a show thinking through a choice with an angel whispering in one ear while a devil is doing the same in the other. But did you know that you might thank Plato and Freud for that?

It is human nature to want to understand why people choose to act the way they do, and this need has ancient roots. Building on Thales’ concept of the soul (“psyche” in Greek), Plato proposed a tripartite theory. His allegory of the chariot describes a human soul driving a pair of winged horses. Both horses have passion, but one is rational and moral, while the other is consumed by appetites and desires. This means that the charioteer, representing intellect and reason, will be continually challenged in directing the chariot toward truth and enlightenment. This anticipated one of the most famous ideas in the field of psychology, Freud’s three-part model of the psyche. The id is driven by instinctual impulses while the superego follows cultural norms (akin to Plato’s horses), leaving the ego as the driver that mediates between the id, the superego, and external demands.

According to these models, a choice is made between competing desires. But is one horse or the other a better bet?

Foundational ideas in political science, biology, and economics support instinct and self-preservation. Thomas Hobbes, in his classic Leviathan, posits that humans are not guided by reason but by feelings. Security feels good and fear feels bad. He believes the desire for power is our greatest appetite because it helps us feel safe. The theory of natural selection proposed by Charles Darwin in his Origin of the Species notes the importance of adaptations, including innate behaviors, that result in offspring that survive to reproduce again. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith explains that humans act in their self-interest to maximize value for themselves.

It would seem at first glance that some philosophers agree that selfishness is key. Plato states that the masses are ruled by their self-serving appetites, and Bernard Mandeville believes that most people live to avoid shame. But there is a flip side. Mandeville argued that selfish, private vices lead to public benefits (later echoed in Smith’s vision of national economic good from self-interested choices), and Plato made the case for philosopher kings who rule selflessly for the common good. This “big picture” view of the choice calculus is also found in the writings of Jeremy Bentham, the father of utilitarianism, who proposed that all actions should be assessed in the context of the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Other philosophers clearly advocate for morality. Immanuel Kant viewed it as an outcome of his categorical imperative, a philosophically rational restatement of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” a.k.a. the Golden Rule. Aristotle goes further, urging us in The Nicomachean Ethics to fulfill our potential by connecting with others in the most meaningful way possible, realizing a transcendent love.

There is no sure bet. You are the charioteer and the choice remains your own. In my experience, people opt for what makes them feel better about themselves. For some, this means money, fame, popularity, or power. These, however, are impermanent. Integrity, faithfulness, truth, and love will endure.

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl argues for the importance of a life of purpose. This May, as students graduate, I encourage you to share the purpose that drives you. Help them choose wisely as they take their next step in life.

Kevin Beardmore, Ed.D., is President of Southeast New Mexico College. He may be reached at kbeardmore@senmc.edu or 575.234.9211