The Psychology of Dexter - Bella DePaulo [63]
Within the human psyche, the moral Superego is in constant battle against the selfish Id. For this reason, a referee is needed to balance out these two opposing forces, and this need is fulfilled by the Ego. According to Freud, the Ego is the part of the psyche that we are most consciously aware of. It is comprised of our intellectual, rational part of self and serves as a mediator between the Id, the Superego, and the external world. Its purpose is to strike a balance between our basic needs and our morals. The Ego must find a way to feed our primitive urges without bringing about complete social isolation and rejection.
So, if we were to imagine that classic cartoon image of a little devil on one shoulder of the person and a little angel on the other, the devil would be the Id, the angel would be the Superego, and the person caught between them would be the Ego. Although the Ego does its best to serve both the Id and the Superego, in the end, Freud believed the Ego is typically more loyal to the Id. For instance, the Ego can employ defense mechanisms or use rationalization to justify the needs of the Id, and in doing so changes the perception of reality to fit the Id, rather than changing the Id to fit with reality. However, the Superego is always watching over the Ego and will often employ feelings of guilt or anxiety whenever the Ego goes too far in pleasing the Id.
Within the Dexter series, the Dark Passenger (Shadow) clearly fits the description of the Id. Since Harry serves as Dexter’s moral compass, he fits the description of the Superego. When Harry appears to Dexter as an apparition and warns him to stick with the code, he is serving as an external manifestation of Dexter’s Superego. Finally, the Hero side of Dexter—the part of Dexter that he strives to truly be—fits the description of the Ego. Just as the Ego must mediate between the Id and the Superego, so too must Dexter struggle to feed his Dark Passenger but also obey his father’s moral code.
Ultimately, it is the psychic turmoil between the light and dark sides of the self that makes Dexter so fascinating and entertaining. Although most of us do not struggle with issues of the same magnitude as Dexter, we all have felt the tension between doing what we want to do—eating that high-calorie dessert, flirting with someone other than your spouse—and doing what is right—sticking to your diet, staying faithful to your partner.
The struggle we see Dexter play out on the television screen simply underscores the battle waged each day within our own psyche. For a short time, we are able to entertain that dark side that exists in each of us through Dexter’s many trials. However, in the end, we ultimately hope that Dexter will win this battle, possibly in anticipation that we too will do the right things in life and not succumb to the temptations of our own “Dark Passenger.”
Melissa Burkley, PhD, and Edward Burkley, PhD, are both assistant professors of social psychology at Oklahoma State University. Melissa Burkley’s research focuses on stereotypes and prejudice and she also writes a blog for Psychology Today entitled The Social Thinker. Edward Burkley’s research focuses on goals and motivation. When not watching Dexter, they enjoy photography, writing, and traveling.
You’re rationalizing! You’re in denial! You’re intellectualizing! Those sorts of ready assessments of our friends and foes are so commonplace that we may not even realize that they are part of the Freudian legacy. They are some of the better-known defense mechanisms, the tricks we play on ourselves when our anxieties and traumas become too much to bear in a raw and realistic way. Miami Metro is a steaming cauldron of psychological distortions. All of the people on the force, and everyone connected with them, get stirred up in the mix. But Dexter is the king of defense mechanisms. In his sparring with Doakes over whose sordid deeds are more justified, Dexter reigned supreme—at least