Exploring the fascination with René Girard on the right, his theories on violence and social order, Christianity's uniqueness, and the impact on modernity. Connections to Peter Thiel, mimetic desire, social media, victimhood, and literary banter. Also, discussion on upcoming book release.
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Quick takeaways
Rene Girard's theory explores how desires are shaped by imitating others, leading to conflicts and rivalries.
Girard's scapegoat mechanism in myths and societies masks underlying violence, while the Judeo-Christian tradition challenges societal norms.
Christianity prioritizes innocence of victims in modernity, lacking sacrificial expiation, critiquing secular ideologies for co-opting concerns for victims.
Girard's engagement with Nietzsche defends victimhood and warns against secular ideologies like wokeism for radicalizing concerns without the Christian redemptive element.
Deep dives
Rene Girard's Theory of Mimetic Desire
Rene Girard's theory explores how desires are shaped by imitating others. He delves into the role of mediators who influence what individuals desire, leading to conflicts and rivalries. By analyzing literature from Cervantes to Dostoevsky, Girard unveils the triangular nature of desire, where individuals seek what others desire. This concept extends to modernity, where internal mediation intensifies competition and jealousy, reflecting a deep longing for being and exposing the tragically violent side of human nature.
The Concept of the Scapegoat in Religion and Society
Rene Girard's discussion of the scapegoat mechanism in myths and societies reveals a pattern where a sacrificial victim absorbs collective violence and restores social order temporarily. Pioneered by ancient civilizations and later symbolized by animals, the scapegoat mechanism masks underlying violence in social structures. However, Girard highlights the radical innovation of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which unmasked the inherent violence by presenting the victim as innocent, fundamentally challenging societal norms and causing a deeper reflection on violence's roots.
Gerard's Interpretation of Christianity and Modernity
Rene Girard's interpretation of Christianity projects it as a dissenting voice that prioritizes the innocence of victims, disrupting the violence-based social order. This perspective filters into secular modernity, where sensitivity towards victims rises, yet lacks means for resolution, as traditional scapegoating mechanisms are debunked. The paradox of modernity, influenced by Christian ethics and respect for victims without sacrificial expiation, highlights Girard's critique of secular ideologies like wokeness for secularizing concerns for victims without the redemptive element of innocence.
Engagement with Nietzsche and Gerard's Reaction to Secular Ideologies
Rene Girard's engagement with Nietzsche parallels their scrutiny of Christianity's impact on morality and societal structures. Girard contests Nietzsche's critique of Christianity's influence on creating a 'slave morality,' defending the value of embracing victimhood and innocence. However, Girard warns against secular ideologies like wokeism that co-opt the concern for victims without the Christian redemptive framework, perceiving them as radicalizing concerns without acknowledging the Christian origin, hence leading to a potentially harmful revolution.
Understanding the Mimetic Rivalry and the Imitation of Christ in Adversaries
The podcast delves into the concept of mimetic rivalry where individuals imitate a model to defeat them, drawing parallels with Satan's imitation of Christ to regain triumphs. This imitation is discussed in the context of Gerard's work, highlighting how in secular modernity, individuals imitate Christian ethics without belief, leading to the regeneration of mimetic violence.
Critiquing Modern Concern for Victims and the Trap of Mimetic Desire
The episode critiques the modern preoccupation with victimhood, emphasizing competing to be the most victimized as fostering mimetic desire and rivalry. It explores how secularized Christian ethics without belief can lead to the perpetuation of apocalyptic rivalries, negating the essence of Christianity. Additionally, the analysis reveals a deeper examination into the concept of envy and desire in relation to modern society.
Reflections on Gerard's Theory in Comparison to Freud and Marx
The podcast delves into the intersection of Gerard's theory with those of Freud and Marx, linking themes like commodity fetishism and mimetic desire. It explores how Gerard's insights parallel aspects of psychoanalysis and the Marxist critique of capitalist societies. Moreover, the discussion touches on the potential solutions offered by religion and societal structures to counteract the pitfalls of mimetic rivalry and competitive capitalism.
The late René Girard, former Stanford professor of literature and mentor to Peter Thiel, is having something of a moment on the right these days—as Sam Kriss recently put it in a Harper's essay, Girard's name is being "dropped on podcasts and shoved into reading lists," and "Girardianism has become a secret doctrine of a strange new frontier in reactionary thought." Why might that be the case? To unpack this question, Matt and Sam welcomed back John Ganz, whose four-part series on Girard is one of the best primers available. What does Girard have to say about who we are as human beings, why we want what we want, the origins of both violence and social order (and what they have to do with each others), the uniqueness of Christianity, and the nature of secular modernity? What use is all this to the right? And to what uses do they put it?
