Luke Burgis, entrepreneur in residence and director of programs at the Ciocca Centre for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, discusses the power of mimetic desire in shaping our wellbeing. He explains how desire is influenced by social cues and role models, and offers tips for maintaining healthy relationships. Luke also delves into the positive and destructive cycles desire can create, emphasizing the importance of understanding and shaping our desires for the good of ourselves and others.
Understanding the influence of memetic desire can help individuals make more conscious decisions about what they truly want to pursue in their personal and professional lives.
Recognizing and understanding the internal models that shape our desires can help individuals navigate and avoid the negative effects of rivalry and competition in their pursuit of goals.
Deep dives
Understanding the Genesis of Desire
Desire is the driving force behind our pursuit of goals, but often we don't fully understand why we choose certain goals. Luke Burgess, author of 'Wanting: The Power of Memetic Desire in Everyday Life,' highlights the importance of understanding the nature of desire, especially during times of stress or major life changes. He explains that desire is often imitative, shaped by models or people we look up to. Burgess introduces the concept of memetic desire, the idea that humans imitate the desires of others in their pursuit of what is considered valuable or worthy. Understanding the influence of memetic desire can help individuals make more conscious decisions about what they truly want to pursue in their personal and professional lives.
Exploring Memetic Desire and its Impact
Memetic desire, coined by French social theorist René Girard, suggests that human desire is imitative and influenced by others. Burgess expands on this concept, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the models or individuals who shape our desires. He distinguishes between external models, those outside our social world, and internal models, such as family members, friends, or colleagues. Burgess highlights the significance of identifying and understanding the internal models that often go unnoticed but have a strong impact on our desires. Recognizing these models can help individuals navigate and avoid the negative effects of rivalry and competition in their pursuit of goals.
Cultivating Positive Cycles of Desire
Burgess discusses the power of positive cycles of desire and advocates for cultivating 'thick desires' that endure and bring lasting fulfillment. He contrasts thick desires, which are deeply meaningful and personal, with thin desires that are typically socially influenced and short-lived. Burgess encourages individuals to excavate their thick desires by reflecting on past experiences that have brought long-lasting satisfaction and joy. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding one's hierarchy of values, which helps individuals prioritize desires and make choices in alignment with their core values. By consciously choosing and nurturing thick desires, individuals can create positive cycles of desire in their lives, leading to greater fulfillment and satisfaction.
Luke Burgis, who's the entrepreneur in residence and director of programs at the Ciocca Centre for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. Luke's co-created and led four companies in wellness, consumer products, and technology. He is the founder and director of Fourth World Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. And Luke's new book Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life has just been released.
In this week's episode we explore how desire impacts our wellbeing and the simple steps we can take to positively shape our desires for the good of ourselves and others.
Thanks so much for joining me again this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.
You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.
Until next time, take care! Thank you, Luke!
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode