The Mirror Stage is an idea from Lacanian psychoanalysis that explains how a baby starts to build a sense of “self.” Around 6 to 18 months old, a baby sees its reflection in a mirror and recognizes it as “me.” This makes the baby feel excited, like it has found a whole version of itself.
But here’s the trick: that mirror image is actually a little misleading. The baby’s body still feels wobbly and uncoordinated, but the reflection looks smooth and complete. This moment is important because it creates what Lacan calls the ego—our mental image of who we are.
But this ego is based on what Lacan calls misrecognition—thinking the image is the real “me” when it’s just an outside picture. This is part of what he calls the Imaginary Order, where we first start to understand ourselves through images and illusions.
Over time, this also leads us into the Symbolic Order, which is the world of language and rules. So, the Mirror Stage is like the first time we step outside ourselves to see who we are—but it also means we never feel totally whole again, which is what keeps our desire going throughout life.