The “Heroic I”

Abstract

In modern thought and Western society, the self is lived “for-itself,” caught up in a way of being wherein the ego pursues its own longevity and seeks to be the hero of its own story. We argue, inspired by the thought of Emmanuel Levinas, that this “heroic I” is a configuration of selfhood that is closed to the Other. We suggest that this self-reflexive ego is continually propagated by modern trends in psychology. Employing Levinas’ critique of egology in contemporary philosophical systems, we maintain that this version of the self, first, inherently impairs individual and societal recognition of the Other, and second, lacks an awareness of the ethical demand of the Other. In addition, we conclude by considering the implications of Levinas’ thought on the formation of a non-egological psychology wherein clients are assisted in recovering sensitivity to alterity and exposure to the demands made upon us by the Other.