IGOism can be considered as a new way to study self-perception & hence human group life.

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THIS BOOK PROPOSES to reveal the IGO as an examination of identity projection and the life-course of individuality whose self (imagined) conceives of various scenarios reinforcing personal beliefs and tenants of a supposed reality.

 

In the first title MEET YOUR IGO™, the author wishes to make a distinction reflective of what he has termed IGO as an inner form of expression where one pictures their imagined self or ‘Projected Identity’ or fantasy daydream sense of self that exists in our stories & imagined scenarios where the IGO™ in mind plays out.

 

Distinct from the Ego it is the aspect of a self referring to itself  that the author has named as the IGO (I go in my mind, etc)

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The IGO according to Dr. Ratner is “The individual's conception of identity and the 'who' they believe they are.  What can be revealed in the IGO is better understood to be one's 'I' character make-up whose attributes define the self as it's imagined.” 

 

A similar definition comes from Rosenberg's 1979 book relatable to the topic; where he says self-concept is:

         “…the totality of an individual's thoughts and feelings having reference to himself as an object.”

The exception is that in defining an IGO we are aware of picturing and imagining that entity in mind expressing itself!

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We can define IGO as the version of one's self (plural selves or self's concept) that is self-imagined as:
1. One individual's reflected personality, character, demeanor, or disposition of "I".
2. One's aspiration or hope to find a true self; one's better self; one's former self
3. The subject of one's own experience of phenomena: perception, emotions, thoughts. 
4. An individual person as the object of the person's own reflective consciousness (plural selves). 
5. Self-interest or personal advantage (strategy and contingency planning).
6. Identity or personality as imagined projected in mind by the subject.
7. The expression of oneself as it is perceived to be by itself. 

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Ratner's book proposes to bring IGO awareness to the forefront and offers to help improve the readers ability to self-realize and understand the things that make us who we are as individually perceived.  Elements of IGO include your personality, thoughts, words spoken and actions that in turn reflect your IGO's values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Essentially, IGO mastery becomes a psychological state of I-awareness & empowerment where the desired TRUE self comes into full focus.

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While IGO awareness is central to how you see yourself mentally, it reflects the very beliefs of who you think you are.  As such the activity is not something most people are acutely aware they are doing despite it happening throughout the day.

 

The IGO book will offer insights and practical exercises in self-awareness that can become easily identified and woven into the fabric of anyone's daily routine to better enable imagining who you "really" are.  Readers will learn how the IGO emerges during different stages and points in life depending on the situation and what your personality encounters.​

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It is amazing to consider that having an IGO is something we all have in common and it is one of the first components that creates our sense of self-concept.  While it is found to exist in all human cultures we have never named it!   Humans are not born completely self-aware and how one imagines themselves takes years to evolve. Yet evidence suggests that infants do have a rudimentary sense of self-awareness and in that early perception it grows informed by parents and family influences.

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In this day and age, social media is where people experience most of their communication and we should be attuned to how this affects our kids and the impact it is having collectively on all generations.  With this understanding developing a sense of self on a psychological level, feeling as part of a greater body such as social, emotional, political bodies can affect how one feels about themselves.[66]  If a person is included or excluded from a group, that can affect how they form their identities.

 

Growing up on and offline social media has become a place for not only expressing an already formed identity, but to explore and experiment with developing identities. In the United Kingdom, a study about changing identities revealed that some people believe that partaking in online social media is the first time they have felt like themselves, and they have achieved their true identities. They also revealed that these online identities transferred to their offline identities. [18]

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I will discuss all this and argue that increasing our IGO Awareness can have enhanced motivational properties. 

---- There are four types of motives in particular that are most related to the IGO self-concept: [44]

A. Self-assessment: desire to receive and analyze information about the self that is accurate
B. Self-enhancement: desire to receive feedback that informs the self of positive or desirable characteristics
C. Self-verification: desire to confirm what one already knows about the self
D. Self-improvement: desire to learn things that will help to improve the self

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Having an IGO gives us that sense that we know ourselves based on how we perceive and see ourselves in our minds.

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There is much here to consider.  Contemplated upon IGO offers a paradigm shift in our personal regard and self-concept.

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I intend to also include in the book components that will make the concept complete by covering (including):
History of Creating Selves
Model for Desired Ideals
Parts of Self Development
The Subconscious IGO
Affects on Schooling & Grades
Body Perception
Gender Identity
Taking Measure of Self in Life
Motivational Properties
Cultural IGO Variations
IGO Social Issues
Media Influences
Political Identity Division
Plenty of References

Further reading and proposed ongoing IGO book series to follow

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Thank you for considering this proposal (o;'