#153 Beyond Mimetic Desires - Luke Burgis on the temptations of conformity, contemplating life in Starbucks, thick desires and thin desires, letting go of control, the importance of play, learning from different work cultures, his stay in Rome and becoming a father
Questioning societal expectations and unlearning ingrained scripts are crucial for personal growth and fulfillment.
Transcending mimetic desire and finding reference points outside the system can lead to true personal growth and fulfillment.
Engaging in activities that feed the human spirit and leaning into thick desires bring deeper engagement and joy in life.
Deep dives
Embracing Personal Memoirs in Books
Luke Burgess's book, which combines personal memoir with nerdy concepts, highlights the power of such books. Burgess discusses why more people should write these types of books and emphasizes the importance of personal stories and experiences in literature.
Challenging Scripts in Adulthood
Luke Burgess reflects on the scripts he grew up with about settling down and finding stability. He shares how he resisted societal expectations and pursued his own path, including moving to New York City and exploring his creative energies. Burgess discusses the challenges of navigating conventional career paths and the importance of questioning and unlearning ingrained scripts.
The Dangers of Mimetic Desire
Luke Burgess delves into the concept of mimetic desire, the tendency to want what others want due to social influence. He shares personal experiences of falling into the trap of mimetic desire, whether it was acquiring material possessions or following a path for prestige and financial success. Burgess emphasizes the need to find reference points outside the system and to transcend the pressures of societal expectations in order to discover true personal growth and fulfillment.
Following Thick Desires and Finding Peace
The speaker shares their experience of following their thick desires and finding a sense of peace. They recall a time when they decided to pursue something that didn't necessarily make sense on paper but gave them a deep feeling of peace. Despite the lack of a clear path to financial success, they continued to follow this feeling, which eventually led them to success. They emphasize the importance of not always needing to know where something will lead, but trusting that it will lead somewhere.
The Power of Play and the Human Spirit
The speaker discusses the importance of play and its role in feeding the human spirit. They share a personal story of their business partner who prioritized play in his life and how it positively impacted him. They highlight the need for humans to engage in activities that feed their spirits and bring a sense of aliveness. The speaker also reflects on the distinction between thin desires and thick desires, emphasizing the value of leaning into thick desires that are more aligned with one's deeper engagement and joy in life.
Luke has a background on Wall Street and has founded 3 companies in Silicon Valley. He describes his adult life as a constant state of uncertainty. At some point, he took a classics course, which he completed in a 24-hour Starbucks in a couple of months while living in Las Vegas. This led to him to contemplate deeper questions, leaving "entrepreneur Luke" behind and spending 3 years in Rome. Luke is now a Professor at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship and has written a book — "WANTING: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life." The book is one of the best ones I've read in the past couple of years and we talk about some of the ideas in the book and how they intersect with Luke and my life.
