EGO: The Ultimate Deity: Reflections of the Formation of the Self, its Madness, its Genius

This is the first book translated into English by the distinguished and creative French psychoanalyst, Pierre Willequet. He is known for the originality of his approach and his capacity to integrate material from classic literature, the arts, Jungian psychoanalysis, Eastern practices, and work with parents and children. In this volume he tackles the current overemphasis on the ego, which poses enormous societal problems. After the spectacular collapse of major symbolic systems such as religions and the various “ism” ideologies, the ego has gradually imposed itself as the ultimate horizon, demanding a kind of obedience on the part of individuals in order to achieve their own interests: security, identity claims, permanent enjoyment, refusal of death and so on. Yet it is surprising to note that, apart from a few exceptions, the ego problematic has not been sufficiently analyzed in psychology literature. For this reason, the present book offers an original reading of the formation, role and place of the ego in the global psychic economy. It sheds a unique light on a central psychic function which, sooner or later, everyone is called upon to take a position. Read more