![Thumbnail of Luke Burgis: The Power of Mimetic Desire [The Knowledge Project Ep. #138]](https://s3.amazonaws.com/sublimeinternet-public-storage-production/media/images/thumbnails/curation/742b1d6b/thumbnail.png)
Saved by Juan Orbea and
Luke Burgis: The Power of Mimetic Desire [The Knowledge Project Ep. #138]
Saved by Juan Orbea and
He argues that humans do not themselves know what to desire; as a result, they imitate the desires of others.
He gave the illusion of autonomy—because that’s how people think desire works. Models are most powerful when they are hidden. If you want to make someone passionate about something, they have to believe the desire is their own.
But where there is a threat, there’s an opportunity. Desire isn’t fully reflected in the way things are. Desire is, by its very nature, transcendent. We are always looking for more. The question is, will we help people move a little closer to fulfilling their greatest desires? Or unknowingly peddle them pathetic ones?