The environment, culture, history, economics, desires, genetic makeup, and other factors push, pull, and reshape the EGO. Thus, it is always the dependent variable governed by a variety of interacting independent variables. In other words, the EGO may think it has freedom of choice but totally lacks it (Lockhart, 1997, p. 315). In contrast, SELF is our conscious consideration, our gut feeling, and our intuitive awareness. The SELF gives us guidance but it is rarely more than a whispered suggestion.