Why We Want What We Want – SuperSalon with Luke Burgis, Feat. Alaka Halder, Bronwyn Williams

In this SuperSalon, writer Luke Burgis joins Interintellect hosts Bronwyn Williams and Alaka Halder to discuss mimesis, markets, manias, and why we tend to want what she’s having.

“The truth is that my desires are derivative, mediated by others, and that I’m part of an ecology of desire that is bigger than I can fully understand.” – Luke Burgis

Why do we want what we want?

Why do we choose the things we choose?

Are we masters of our own desires, or do we need to admit that our choices and preferences are a reflection of what we see others want?

And if our desires are hopelessly connected to each other, can we harness our in-built mimetic tendencies to design better business models, more sustainable economics, and healthier democracies?

To answer these questions, we will take a trip through time to look at the past, present and future of mimetic theory, covering the mythological, spiritual and historical background as explored by Girard, Derrida, Mary Douglas and others; how these ideas explain the present (particularly in Silicon Valley startup culture and the stock market); and how mimesis could continue to shape our collective futures.

In this SuperSalon, Luke Burgis, author of Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life will be joined by hosts Bronwyn Williams and Alaka Halder to unpack what makes us make the choices we make, and how we can learn from and work with our innate symbiotic behavior to make better decisions (or at least better predictions). We hope you can join us!

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Recommended Reading:

• Review – Wanting by Luke Burgis — I Want What She’s Having
• Luke Burgis — What Drives Human Desire? (EP.50)
• Manias and Mimesis: Applying René Girard’s Mimetic Theory to Financial Bubbles
• Narrative Economics – What People Say About the Economy Can Set Off a Recession
• Secrets about People: A Short and Dangerous Introduction to René Girard
• Making Dumb Groups Smarter (Harvard Business Review)
• Podcast with Luke Burgis on Wanting and Social Change
• Podcast with George Akerlof on Economics’ Sins of Omission

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