Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life

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Gravity affects every aspect of our physical being, but there’s a psychological force just as powerful―yet almost nobody has heard of it. It’s responsible for bringing groups of people together and pulling them apart, making certain goals attractive to some and not to others, and fueling cycles of anxiety and conflict. In Wanting, Luke Burgis draws on the work of French polymath René Girard to bring this hidden force to light and reveals how it shapes our lives and societies.

According to Girard, humans don’t desire anything independently. Human desire is mimetic―we imitate what other people want. This affects the way we choose partners, friends, careers, clothes, and vacation destinations. Mimetic desire is responsible for the formation of our very identities. It explains the enduring relevancy of Shakespeare’s plays, why Peter Thiel decided to be the first investor in Facebook, and why our world is growing more divided as it becomes more connected.

Wanting also shows that conflict does not arise because of our differences―it comes from our sameness. Because we learn to want what other people want, we often end up competing for the same things. Ignoring our large similarities, we cling to our perceived differences.

Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, teacher, and student of classical philosophy and theology, Burgis shares tactics that help turn blind wanting into intentional wanting--not by trying to rid ourselves of desire, but by desiring differently. It’s possible to be more in control of the things we want, to achieve more independence from trends and bubbles, and to find more meaning in our work and lives.

The future will be shaped by our desires. Wanting shows us how to desire a better one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luke Burgis is founder of Fourth Wall Ventures, which incubates and invests in people and organizations that create positive cycles of desire. Luke spent his twenties as the founder and CEO of several startups and his thirties immersed in ancient philosophy, theology, literature, and history. Luke is currently Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship where he’s also an adjunct professor at The Catholic University of America. He graduated from NYU’s Stern School of Business and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. He lives with his wife in Washington, DC.

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