Children are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them

Children are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them

Sigmund Freud, the renowned psychoanalyst, believed that children are indeed completely egoistic in their early stages of development. According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the ego is the part of the mind that is responsible for mediating between the demands of the id (the instinctual, pleasure-seeking part of the mind) and the superego (the moral conscience). In the early stages of development, the ego is not fully formed, and children are driven by their id impulses, which are focused on satisfying their immediate needs and desires.

Freud argued that children are born with a strong sense of self-preservation and a desire to fulfill their own needs. This egoistic nature is evident in the way that children cry when they are hungry, tired, or uncomfortable, and demand immediate attention and care from their caregivers. Children are not capable of considering the needs or feelings of others in these early stages of development; their primary focus is on satisfying their own needs and desires.

Freud also believed that children are ruthless in their pursuit of satisfying their needs. They will cry, scream, and throw tantrums in order to get what they want, without considering the consequences or the impact of their behavior on others. This ruthless behavior is driven by the id, which seeks immediate gratification and does not take into account the long-term consequences of their actions.

As children grow and develop, Freud believed that the ego begins to develop and mature, allowing them to consider the needs and feelings of others and to regulate their impulses and desires. However, the egoistic nature of children in their early stages of development is a crucial part of their psychological development, as it helps them to assert their independence and autonomy from their caregivers.