The Mimetic Theory of Desire (A Brief Introduction)
Mimetic theory of desire was developed by French anthropologist René Girard in the 20th century when he realised that human desire is communal and collective rather than individual. This has led to conflict and violence throughout human history. According to https://mimetictheory.com/what-it-is-2/ • Mimetic Desire (want): When a person's basic needs—food, sex, safety, and shelter—are addressed, they enter the domain of want, where they are not guided by their instincts or a biological "radar." Rather, other persons start to appear on their radar. People are motivated by the desires of others. Desire has a social component. • Tension(Conflict).Conflict will unavoidably arise when people fight for the same products because people want what other people want. Mimetic rivalry results from mimetic theory. • Scapegoating.Human communities have typically used the scapegoating mechanism to deal with chaos caused by mimetic contagion. This mechanism involves groups using mimeti...