Mimetic desire can be a good or bad thing. Sometimes we see things that seem like they're making someone have a great life, but once you pursue it and get it, "this really sucks" It's just kind of what it means to be human. The models that we allow ourselves to be affected by are important because the mimetic desire can go in negative rivalrous ways.
The last time we had entrepreneur, professor, and author Luke Burgis on the show, he discussed the concept of mimetic desire, which says that we want the things we want because other people want them. Since that time, Luke has continued to explore the idea of mimesis, and how to resist its negative consequences, in his Substack: Anti-Mimetic. Today on the show, Luke and I dig into these ideas and discuss ways we can step outside the tempo, cadences, and priorities that the world would foist upon us and establish our own rhythms for our lives. Luke unpacks what it means to have “thick desires” and become a “political atheist” and how these concepts can help you live a more anti-mimetic life.
Resources Related to the Podcast
Connect With Luke Burgis