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Ordinary Unhappiness

43: The Mirror Crack’d: The Mirror Stage, Part III

Mar 2, 2024
Exploring Lacan's mirror stage through a parable of mirror-besotted babies, psychosis, and ego psychology. How the mirror stage challenges identity claims and the potential for radical change. The interplay between self-perception, ego development, and fluidity in the formation of the 'I'. Critiquing traditional views of the ego in psychoanalysis and advocating for embracing individual otherness in relationships for more flexible interactions.
01:15:01

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The mirror stage initiates a complex journey of self-recognition and alienation, intertwining spatial identification and fragmented body images.
  • Social interactions mold individuals' sense of self post-mirror stage, impacting identity formation amidst societal expectations.

Deep dives

The Mirror Stage and Self-Identity

The essay explores the significance of the mirror stage in identity formation, highlighting how the recognition of oneself in the mirror leads to a complex relationship between the real body and the mirrored image. This experience of self-identification sets individuals on a trajectory of alienation and recognition, intertwining the concepts of spatial identification and fragmented body images driven by the lure of spatial unity.

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