Remember when you were a child and “Tales from the Dark side” came on? This was a series back in the 80’s that was based on the premise that every story had a dark side or evil associated it with it. I use to enjoy this series because it showed no matter how nice things looked, there was an additional dimension to it.
An alter ego is usually associated with a person’s “dark side”. However, all alter ego’s aren’t bad. Some alters are quite nice. They are usually the opposite of the person.
The definition of alter ego
An alter ego is defined as an additional persona inside a person. Some would refer to it as having a second personality or ‘ other self”. I like to refer to it as a the genuine self. When you feel back the layers, the alter is there. It is just hidden most of the time.
Many recording artists like Beyonce Knowles and T.I. claim to have an alter ego. Some of them go as far as naming them. Beyonce named hers “Sasha” and TI. named his ” T.I.P.”. What both their alter ego’s have in common is that they are completely opposite from them. Beyonce’s alter ego seems to be extroverted and aggressive, yet she is shy in person. T.I’s alter ego seems to love pushing the limits of the law, yet in person he is level headed young man with lots of wisdom.
Many shy individuals have alter ego’s because it is a way for them to escape from regular life. Alter ego’s are born out of trauma, stress, and suppressed feelings. What a person is unable to express in their natural state will surface in their alter. this is one of the reasons many people feel free when they are in their alter state. It is free of doubt and worry. A person is not as concerned with what other people think.
Some alter ego’s are good. For example, a person who is mean on the job can have a “good side”. In person, they seem difficult and irritable, yet in other aspects they are kind and generous. This often shows the most when a person is under the influence. Alcohol has a way of loosening a person’s inhibitions. Some would even coin alcohol as an “alter ego’s best friend”. If a person doesn’t know they have one, they will soon after consuming enough alcohol. Alcohol is a truth serum.
My alter ego comes out in certain places with certain people so it is unpredictable. In person I can be quite shy, but when the alter comes, I am not. My personality is similar, yet more assertive. You could say, it is the real me without the shyness.
