Luke Burgis

The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life

Wanting

Julien Chien

Rohit Khanduri

Mimetic desire, also known as mimesis, is a concept that suggests that our desires are influenced by the desires of the people around us. It is an innate tendency that we have to imitate the desires of those we admire, leading to a cycle of wanting. This means that we tend to want what others want, and this can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the context.

On the one hand, mimetic desire can inspire us to pursue positive goals and to better ourselves. For example, we may see someone we admire who has achieved great success in their career, and we may be motivated to work hard to achieve similar success. Mimetic desire can also inspire us to be more compassionate, kind, and generous, as we may see others exhibiting these qualities and want to emulate them.

However, on the other hand, mimetic desire can also lead to negative consequences. For example, we may become envious of someone who has something that we want, and this can lead to feelings of resentment and bitterness. We may also engage in rivalry with others, seeking to outdo them in order to prove our worth. In extreme cases, mimetic desire can even lead to violence, as we may be willing to harm others in order to achieve our desires.

Wanting is a thought-provoking book that explores the concept of mimetic desire. The author, Luke Burgis, argues that our desires are shaped by the desires of other people around us. He explains how we unconsciously mimic the desires of those we admire, leading to a never-ending cycle of wanting.

Burgis draws on examples from various fields, including psychology, philosophy, economics, and literature, to demonstrate the power of mimetic desire in our everyday lives. He also examines the negative consequences of mimetic desire, such as envy, rivalry, and violence.

One of the most important points in the book is that mimetic desire is not necessarily a bad thing. Burgis argues that it can be a powerful force for positive change when it is channeled properly. He suggests that we can use our mimetic desire to pursue worthy goals and to inspire others to do the same.

Overall, mimetic desire is a powerful force that can shape our lives in both positive and negative ways. It is important to be aware of this tendency and to use it wisely, channeling it towards positive goals and avoiding the negative consequences of envy, rivalry, and violence. 

Wanting is a fascinating and insightful book that offers a fresh perspective on the nature of desire and its role in shaping our lives. It is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, philosophy, or personal development.

Jaiden Ratti

As someone who was previously unaware of mimetic behavior, I found the ideas of this book to be hugely impactful - maybe even life changing. However I can’t give it 5 stars because the book contains some strange sections that don’t seem relevant to the rest of the book, and there are other parts where it feels like the information isn’t logically presented. Additionally, I don't think the book goes far enough to provide a solution. The natural conclusion of the discussion of desire is that we should abandon desire as much as we can, but the author instead advices us to "pick one thing" to want, which felt arbitrary. Overall I would recommend this to anyone who wants to interrogate their own motivations.

Tim Connors

Tuago

You can learn some interesting concepts with this book, and get enlightened to some shadow motivations about why you want what you want.

However, the book is not very well structured and it’s not logical enough. In many places, the conclusion doesn’t follow the premises and there’s not enough argument to make his points. The personal anecdotes and other stories seem often randomly placed and not adding much to the story.

zubayr 

* Financial Times Business Book of the Month * Next Big Idea Club Nominee * A groundbreaking exploration of why we want what we want, and a toolkit for freeing ourselves from chasing unfulfilling desires. Gravity affects every aspect of our physical being, but there’s a psychological force just as powerful—yet almost nobody has heard of it. It’s responsible for bringing groups of people together and pulling them apart, making certain goals attractive to some and not to others, and fueling cycles of anxiety and conflict. In Wanting, Luke Burgis draws on the work of French polymath René Girard to bring this hidden force to light and reveals how it shapes our lives and societies. According to Girard, humans don’t desire anything independently. Human desire is mimetic—we imitate what other people want. This affects the way we choose partners, friends, careers, clothes, and vacation destinations. Mimetic desire is responsible for the formation of our very identities. It explains the enduring relevancy of Shakespeare’s plays, why Peter Thiel decided to be the first investor in Facebook, and why our world is growing more divided as it becomes more connected. Wanting also shows that conflict does not arise because of our differences—it comes from our sameness. Because we learn to want what other people want, we often end up competing for the same things. Ignoring our large similarities, we cling to our perceived differences. Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, teacher, and student of classical philosophy and theology, Burgis shares tactics that help turn blind wanting into intentional wanting--not by trying to rid ourselves of desire, but by desiring differently. It’s possible to be more in control of the things we want, to achieve more independence from trends and bubbles, and to find more meaning in our work and lives. The future will be shaped by our desires. Wanting shows us how to desire a better one.

David T Phung

Alexis Wiseman

Ankesh Bharti

Antoine Pirard

Alex

Nik Szymanis

Aris Acoba

Bailey Jennings

Richu A Kuttikattu

Michal Nakashimada

Heiki Riesenkampf

A groundbreaking exploration of why we want what we want, and a toolkit for freeing ourselves from chasing unfulfilling desires. Gravity affects every aspect of our physical being, but there's a psychological force just as powerful - yet almost nobody has heard of it. It's responsible for bringing groups of people together and pulling them apart, making certain goals attractive to some and not to others, and fueling cycles of anxiety and conflict. According to French polymath René Girard, humans don't desire anything independently. Human desire is mimetic - we imitate what other people want. This affects the way we choose partners, friends, careers, clothes, and vacation destinations. Mimetic desire is responsible for the formation of our very identities. It explains the enduring relevancy of Shakespeare's plays, why Peter Thiel decided to be the first investor in Facebook, and why our world is growing more divided as it becomes more connected. Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, teacher, and student of classical philosophy and theology, Burgis shares tactics that help turn blind wanting into intentional wanting - not by trying to rid ourselves of desire, but by desiring differently. It's possible to be more in control of the things we want, to achieve more independence from trends and bubbles, and to find more meaning in our work and lives. The future will be shaped by our desires. Wanting shows us how to desire a better one.

Wanting The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life

Reviews