René Girard's Mimetic Theory (Studies in Violence, Mimesis & Culture)

Girard expressly praises Sartre’s insistence on man’s “insurmountable” religious nature, in the wake of Nietzsche’s proclamation of the death of God.

This search is therefore directed at a transcendent form of being; only models that radiate indifference are able to excite human fascination, making those that appear inaccessible increasingly desirable.

The mimetic theory describes man as a social being that is dependent on relations to others. No human being, in other words, is intrinsically complete.

For over two decades, religions—especially those giving rise to fundamentalist groups—have played an increasingly important role on the global stage. The year 1979, in particular, comes to mind, when Ayatollah Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic theocratic state.

He argues that humans do not themselves know what to desire; as a result, they imitate the desires of others.

Girard’s mimetic theory is based in essence on the literary insight into man’s unalterable religious nature. Looked at systematically, his position can be understood as follows: Human beings have the choice between recognition of the one true God and arbitrary idolatry.

Not every instance of mimetic behavior, however, results necessarily in conflict. As long as desire is directed at an object that can be shared—learning a language, reading a book, listening to a piece of music, etc.—mimesis poses no problems. As soon as the object of desire can no longer be shared—as with objects of sexual desire, social positions

The human being wills concord; but nature knows better what is good for his species: it wills discord.

“The principal source of violence between human beings is mimetic rivalry, the rivalry resulting from imitation of a model who becomes a rival or of a rival who becomes a model”