Ever wonder why people often want what others have? Enter the intriguing concept of Mimetic Desire, a theory by French thinker René Girard. The idea is simple yet profound: human desire for things primarily stems from mimicking what others desire rather than from the inherent value of the object itself. It's the notion that "the neighbor's grass is always greener," taken to the extreme.
Girard argued that our desires are "borrowed" from others. This mimetic (or imitative) process starts early in life; babies mimic their parents, and children often want toys that others play with. But this mimicking doesn't stop as we grow—it becomes more intricate and less conspicuous. If everyone wants what everybody else wants, the natural outcome is escalation and conflict.
According to Girard, conflicts are typically resolved by finding a common enemy to blame for not achieving one's desires. This enemy is commonly known as a scapegoat. A recent historical example of this in action was the Nazi Party in Germany placing blame on the Jews for Germany's misfortunes at the time and using that as a rallying point to resolve internal conflicts.
Understanding Mimetic Desire provides an interesting lens through which to analyze the world around us and our own desires. It prompts us to ask whether I want this because I genuinely value it or someone else does? Recognizing the influence of others on our desires helps us make more authentic choices, fostering genuine satisfaction and reducing unnecessary conflicts.
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