You said this “The self has an issue. It’s afraid that something will become more important that it. It’s afraid that it might not get what it wants. It’s afraid that today is something it may not survive.”  
The self, myself, is often afraid that today I may not survive.  Not that I will literally die, but more like I want to excel or triumph.  I want to come out on top but it’s like I’m playing one-on-one with Lebron James.

  I referenced Scott Pilgrim vs. the World because our struggles do exist in the mind.  They also exist in the spirit and we exist around the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, I think this common, mundane enemies we face truly become something of a super villain, and it requires that within ourself, we power up to something of a super hero to survive.  This should not be, and cannot be of our own self because we need something more to power up.  We actually need the Holy Spirit.

When reading your post my brain went immediately to Eminem’s song The Way I Am. 

Does Eminem understand Christ better then most Christians? Consider this: before you read the lyrics. Then try to look at Eminem’s lyrics about self identity but through Jesus’s eyes. I’m just saying.

Mark 8:27-30
John 14:5-14

Thanks for letting me ramble.

/S

Check out the lyrics:

And I am Whatever you say I am If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am? In the papers, the news, everyday I am Radio won’t even play my jam ’Cause I am Whatever you say I am If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am? In the papers, the news, everyday I am I don’t know it’s just the way I am Sometimes I just feel like my father, I hate to be bothered With all of this nonsense it’s constant And “oh it’s his lyrical content!” The song “Guilty Conscience” has gotten such rotten responses And all of this controversy circles me And it seems like the media immediately points a finger at me So I point one back at ‘em But not the index or the pinky or the ring or the thumb It’s the one you put up when you don’t give a **** When you won’t just put up with the bullshit they pull ’Cause they full of **** too When a dude’s gettin’ bullied and shoots up his school And they blame it on Marilyn and the heroin Where were the parents at? And look at where it’s at middle America Now it’s a tragedy Now it’s so sad to see An upper class city having this happening Then attack Eminem cause I rap this way But I’m glad cause they feed me the fuel That I need for the fire to burn and it’s burnin’ and I have returned [Chorus]I’m so sick and tired of being admired That I wish that I would just die or get fired And drop from my label and stop with the fables I’m not gonna be able to top on “my name is” And pigeon holdin’ to some poppy sensations They cop me rotation at rock ‘n’ roll stations And I just do not have the patience To deal with these cocky Caucasians Who think I’m some wigga who just tries to be black ’Cause I talk with an accent and grab on my balls So they always keep asking the same ****ing questions What school did I go to? What hood I grew up in? The why? The who, what? When and where and the how? ’Til I’m grabbing my hair and I’m tearing it out You’ve been driving me crazy, I can’t take it I’m racing, I’m pacing, I stand and I sit And I’m thankful for every fan that I get But I can’t take a **** in the bathroom Without someone standing by it No I won’t sign your autograph You can call me an ******* I’m glad cause 

She really understand the injustice and civil responsibility aspect. Since she has an African adopted brother, she’s hip to the context. It has been interesting posing the opposing perspectives to her. She sees her generation (she’s 13) as having a responsibility to be good stewards of global imaginative and social assets. 

Justice ties into that for her.