Apocalypse
The word “apocalypse” in its original usage simply means unveiling. The book of Revelation in the Christian bible means an unveiling of things to come. The apocalypse has traditionally been associated with some violent ending to the world as we know it. In Girardian mimetic theory, the “apocalypse” is not something caused by God but […]
Compassion Or Apocalypse?: A Comprehensible Guide to the Thought of Rene Girard – by James Warren
Apocalyptic Future, Warren’s written a gem, a much-needed “comprehensive” guide to Girard’s thought. It does an excellent job of starting “in the beginning,” with Genesis, and moving all the way through what Girard worried would be a man-made apocalypse. The table of contents is sweeping: Part I: MIMESIS Chapter 1: Mimesis and DesireChapter 2: Mimesis […]
The Mimetic Summit Announced
This organization was formed by a group of over one hundred entrepreneurs, hustlers, college students, moms and dads, victims, victimizers, theologians, athletes, creative professionals (and a few academics) who believe that the thought of Girard is of the utmost importance for the future of our world but that is has been confined, even quarantined, by […]
Mirror Neurons
Mirror neurons are neurons in the brain that “fire” when a person merely observes an action, mimicking the way that neurons would fire in the brain as if the person were actually performing that action. Mirror neurons were first discovered in maqaque monkeys in by Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti of the University of Parma, Italy, during […]
Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel is one of the world’s most well-respected entrepreneurs and business investors. He is the founder and CEO of PayPal, and was one of the earliest investors in Facebook. He is highly regarded as a thought leader on the topics of business, leadership, and innovation. He is also an outspoken disciple of the late […]
The Fyre Festival and Violent Mimesis
On April 27, 2017, the first attendees of the now-infamous Fyre Festival landed in the Bahamas. They expected a weekend of luxury and pampering, and to potentially rub shoulders with Instagram influencers such as Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin. Instead, they were met with chaos. There were no luxury hotels or gourmet meals, just Lord […]
Mimetic Contagion
In mimetic theory, mimetic contagion refers to the rapid and spontaneous spread of mimetic desires through a society. Mimetic desires may begin small, but as they grow they gain momentum. Mimetic desire leads to mimetic rivalry, which leads to scandal, increasing levels of violence, then scapegoating, and later rationalization. As each stage progresses to the […]
Dan Wang
Dan Wang is an interesting cat. He is the author of this excellent piece called “College As An Incubator of Girardian Terror,” detailing the way that mimetic rivalry heats up in the environment of a college campus. Dan is a graduate of the University of Rochester, after nearly getting kicked out and negotiating his way […]
The weakening of the Sacrificial Mechanisms
In closed or insular societies, the sacrificial mechanism borne from scapegoating is meant to be a final act of justification for the society. The act of sacrifice becomes a powerful cathartic mechanism, meant to purge society of the violence created by mimetic conflict. However, this mechanism works most effectively when it occurs unconsciously, never been […]
Structural Innocence
Structural innocence refers to the reason why a victim is chosen in a scapegoating situation. There may be a superficial reason, and there may be a deeper, more substantial reason which is the real hinge of the scapegoating mechanism. For example, a young Latino student is expelled from school on grounds of sexual harassment. Although […]