Apocalypse | René Girard's Mimetic Theory

Christianity exposed the injustice of scapegoating and, in doing so, robbed us of the cathartic tools which early human societies used to contain and resolve violence. Today, the Katechon which prevents violence from overflowing is three institutions that limit and channel violence: Law, Capitalism, and War. By tracing a genealogy for all three institutions, Girard comes to the terrifying conclusion that these final bulwarks against apocalypse are on the verge of collapse. More precisely, their collapse is already underway.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:13 Violence in Modernity
00:09:05 Mimetic Contagion in Modernity
00:11:21 Scapegoating in Modernity
00:14:20 Divinization and Institutionalization in Modernity
00:18:51 The Katechon of Law
00:21:42 The Monopoly Over Violence
00:28:08 The Price of Equality
00:34:54 Kinetic and Potential Violence
00:37:15 Prestige, Catharsis, and Violence
00:41:50 The Logic of Retribution and the Logic of Guilt
00:46:05 The Katechon of Capitalism
00:55:36 Capitalism and Violence
00:59:17 Incendiary Global Trade
01:02:32 The Katechon of War
01:06:58 The Gentleman's War
01:10:38 Napoleon and Total War
01:14:56 The Bomb
01:17:47 The Case Against Political Action
01:21:42 Conversion
01:27:21 Holderlin and the Case for Withdrawal
01:30:45 The End

[@bi.johnathan]

To be notified of future lectures, essays, and book reviews, subscribe to my newsletter: johnathanbi.com/newsletter Full transcript: johnathanbi.com/interpreting-girard-lecture-vii-transcript

[@bowandstring3482]

Another listening...brillant work, thanks. I would say that any withdrawal from the world is enabled by a grace not of ourselves, however perceived--, another step in one's journey. Once converted, the real work begins. The Holy Ghost is the mediator required for benign haunting!

[@anthonydgallo]

"But for those of us, most of us, not lucky enough to be given such a treasured gift, Girard's suggestion is simple -- withdraw. Withdraw from the world. Leave the world behind. Tend to your own garden. Proximity is the problem of modernity. There's nothing we can do about social proximity -- we're all equals now -- but we can create physical proximity by leaving society altogether." Haunting, and yet it is what many have resolved to when looking to overcome the rat race and hedonic treadmill of the world.

[@nat.serrano]

Even if you physically withdraw you still social media that pushes you again to compete, compare, imitate

[@MiyamotoMusashi9]

Ted Kaczynski was correct this is my final post Who is John Galt?

[@pdeezzel]

No it's all about solitude. withdrawal here means building and being in a small community.

[@stillnessinthewest]

Jonathan- This is one of the best explications of Girard I have seen. Thank you. I hope these lectures will slowly spread. If we aren't ready for Girard now, we won't ever be. Though as what is upon us continues to unfold a growing minority of people will gravitate toward what he had been saying for decades. These lectures are a great help in that regard. -Jack

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for engaging with our work Jack.

[@heartbrakeB]

Hey Johnathan, Hope you make more lectures & that this isn’t the last. Live long & prosper. Happy New year, God bless.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks m8

[@anthonydgallo]

This entire series in incredible. I'm reading through the transcripts now and I'm just absorbing even more than my first round through the videos. Girard, all jokes aside, could have easily started a cult with how in-depth and future-predicting his philosophy was!

[@Louis.R]

Read through Girard.

[@mymom1462]

Great series John! I remember reading your Medium Blog Post series about Girard glad to see you getting around to making a whole video series.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thank you!

[@SJ-xg1cp]

One can argue that one last great sacrifice has to be made for the Kingdom of God to arrive. Never lose hope. Amen.

[@KoolAidPianist]

Thanks for the effort that went into producing this series. Any time I've tried exposing people to the ideas of Girard, my personal disagreements with his ideas always seep through and leads to them being turned off or misunderstanding it. Linking them these videos has been a lot more effective.

[@bahreh.7807]

Human society desire for self determination is near. Our desire to watch war & destruction videos rather than peace, love & reconciliation tell you the collective madness

[@TheMcanulla3]

Thank you both! Greatly appreciate the time and talent put into this production. Will share with my community.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for sharing our work!

[@stefanoviel4504]

Truly inspiring, thank you for the amazing work.

[@wadirkargar2249]

Great series thanks both for giving your time and energy

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for staying till "the end" (in both senses of the term).

[@NogGonnaMakeIt]

This is an excellent presentation of Girard, and the quality of its production makes this an essential recommendation.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thank you Sean.

[@bowandstring3482]

I would suggest that retreat from the world is the needed engagement with it. The world, of which we are divinely advised to be in and not of, has problems with itself and its emigrés. Saving acts of love may happen when love's actors are least aware of it, perhaps too busy bearing their cross. More grace! Thanks for this unflinching unpacking, guys, may you continue to dig and share.

[@Louis.R]

The word "blame" (ie., blâme, or blasme in Old French) is etymologically related to the Greek word "blaspheme". The word "category" is from Greek "kategoria" meaning "public accusation", the word "crisis" (like "crime") is from the Greek for "decision/judgement", and the word "decision" is from Latin "decidere" for "sacrificial cutting of the throat of the victim". Let's not forget either, that the word "épidémia" means "befell the people," and "gift" means "poison" in German.

[@gestalt3930]

Fantastic series. The production quality was easily the best I’ve ever seen for a philosophy lecture. Would love to hear your personal critiques and an overview of other common critiques of Girard’s philosophy in future videos.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for the kind words. I have many disagreements with the Girard presented here. Not the least of which his claim on the uniqueness of Christianity.

[@kkkkkristo]

I would not have guessed that you did not share Girard's thoughts on such an important point. And admire even more the self-discipline that made you hang your own views on a hook and convey Girard's doctrine with such passion as if it were fully your own. It was a good choice. Thanks to this, this series has universal educational applications. And I personally thank you both for it.@@bi.johnathan

[@Icosindaba]

Gosh, what an excellent, crisp presentation Johnathan. I started watching, wondering if one can be both a Girardian and a Universal Christian Pacifist (having become one 40 years ago, refusing to be conscripted into the apartheid whites only military). I ended lecture VII concluding that if one is a Girardian, there is no way one CANNOT avoid being a Universal Christian Pacifist. Now my conundrum is "Doomsday Prepper in an underground bunker" versus "continue to speak truth to power and prepare for more more retaliation and scapegoating".🤔 The highly volatile situation in South Africa is begging for these insights. Especially your explanation of the place of Law and Ritual in mitigating and sublimating mimetic rivalry. I fear the rule of law in South Africa continues to erode and unless we can come up with new rituals to deal with the memetic rivalry things are going to become increasingly violent. I am now heading for the hills in seclusion to ponder all of this, and write. Thank you so much Johnathan. You have given me huge insights.

[@alexmarinica5310]

There’s an air of optimism here. On New Year’s Eve we engage with the Apocalypse 😬

[@bi.johnathan]

If you think there is an air of optimism left you likely haven't watched to the end of this lecture. 😛 In my defense, I did warn you at the end of Lec I to proceed with this series at your own peril "Abandon all hope ye who enter here"

[@alexmarinica5310]

@@bi.johnathan I was trying to convey sarcasm by juxtaposing the theme of the lecture with the celebration at hand. I find it difficult to believe that it was released today by accident 😆

[@luissberenguer_]

Amazing lecture Johnathan

[@bi.johnathan]

Glad you made it to the end

[@SuperFloyd187]

Thank you.

[@ChrisOgunlowo]

Finally completed this. Great conversation. Hey Jonathan, if you get to publish a book on these ideas, I’ve saved some change to pick a copy 😊. You’re a brilliant mind.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for engaging with my work!

[@soccom8341576]

If the end is here, then so is the solution. And it IS ALREADY HERE. It just isn't even across all of society. For instance, those in the upper classes have no need to stop their mimetic contagion and competitions, not yet - while they have the means. But the lower classes are getting the hang of it, out of necessity, to a certain extent.

[@michelberge1654]

May I suggest that these podcasts could be broadcasted on Deezer as well? However I do not know if this is expensive or difficult, it is just an idea. The videos, transcripts, your answers to comments are great.

[@kwekvonscaf]

I really liked this series. Went through it a couple of times by now, and probably going to reread the transcript as well. Thanks for all of this. I do hope, that at some point, there is a follow up lecture. One where the author that is being discussed, is also vieuwed through a critical lense. In the beginning, you made clear that these weren't your vieuws and that you had crticisms of his work but that wasn't the point of the excercise. And I think that's a good choice to make. However, if you reach the end of Girards' work and ideas, then I believe it is time to see valid crticisms to his work. I think it's important too tackle authors, because you don't want to create messiah figures and prophets. Espescially not with a writer that provides a lense that has such "epic" consequences. Again... thanks a lot.

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for engaging with my work. Yes, that would be a good thing to make.

[@Louis.R]

In response to 17:00 - The scapegoat mechanism has not been purged, but driven to more sophisticated disguises of "righteous indignation", as we see in the woke "concern for vicitms", which is a ruse for the scapegoating of so-called "oppressors".

[@EdJonProductions]

This was an absolutely fantastic series. Well done. Are either of you Christians, after all this?

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for engaging with our work Ed. I would say we are both more open to it than before (David much more than me). However I don’t find Girard’s defense of the uniqueness of Christianity fully convincing, at least not in the way I’ve interpreted it.

[@Ldianecoleman]

Thank you so much, Johnathan. Is there any possibility of getting a transcript of all the lectures?

[@bi.johnathan]

You can find links to all the transcripts here: johnathanbi.com/lectures

[@soccom8341576]

Withdrawal can mean different methods. Its not as bad as it sounds. Low expectations, lying flat, bai lan from China, hikikomori of Japan are all methods to do so. Quiet quitting, cushioning are all survival strategies people have come up with. And it's not only mimetic contagion - inflation and stagnant/falling wages lead to much hardship and survival itself becomes a problem. It is mimetic apocalypse, and much more.

[@PSBosses]

First! Yes!! Let’s gooo!!!

[@PSBosses]

By the way. You picked the right suit for the occasion. 😊

[@bi.johnathan]

@@PSBosses attending a funeral

[@jayBisht0001]

This was deifying Girard, I want to see your opinion. And will wait for it

[@samexp]

Jonathan, Such an absolutely staggering accomplishment summarizing Girard. Going into this lecture series, I knew nothing about Girard. After finishing this series, I was able to summarize this for some of my friends and got them interested in Girard. You are a wonderful presenter. Such clarity and eloquence in style and substance is rare. Also, wondering if you mainly went with Greek mythology in your examples because Girard uses them, or because they are so well known ? I think some more sprinkling of myths and rituals from other cultures, thinking Hinduism here (apart from the Hymn of the Purusha), could be a good thing to. For example, burning of the effigy of Ravana representing the triumph of good over evil, is one of the rituals that is still practiced in India during the festival of Dussehra kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3mkmmxqpLpmoKM I hope you have other series planned, because you are such a wonderful teacher. Can't wait for more from you !

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for the kind words! Yes I mostly focused on the western canon because that is what Girard focused on. He does have a book titled sacrifice that is focused on the vedas!

[@fryingwiththeantidote2486]

44:30 differences

[@nat.serrano]

I just binged watched this. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. We’re all doomed, but it was meant to be otherwise how can we go back to the father? Anyways, you inspired me to read Girard, I have the book “things hidden since the foundation of the world” but I found it difficult to read. What books and in what order do you recommend me to read his books? Thanks

[@alexmarinica5310]

There’s an answer to this question in the comments of one of the other lectures. Browse the comments and you shall find it.

[@bi.johnathan]

@@alexmarinica5310 Pasting here: 1. When These Things Begin is the most accessible. Essentially an interview asking him about his opinions on many more contemporary issues. Helps you get a "taste" and intuition of his theory. 2. Then there are two routes. 2a. Longer and recommended: Desire, Deceit and the Novel for his psychology. Violence and the Sacred for his anthropology. I See Satan Fall Like Lightning for his reading on Christianity. 2b. Shorter but perilous: jumping straight into his magnum opus Things Hidden which covers all 3 topics: psychology, anthropology, and theology. If you do decide to go this route perhaps my notes will be of aid: johnathanbi.com/book-notes-summaries/things-hidden-since-the-foundations-of-the-world. I do strongly warn you against this seemingly shorter route. Kant, in the preface of the first critique tells us that if we judged a book by the length of time it takes to read and not the number of pages then some books would be much shorter if they weren't so short. I think you too will find that trying to take a short cut here in terms of page length will require more time for you to get through his work. 3. Battling to the End for his eschatology (end of the world). 4. With that you will have the "core" of Girard's system. You will be fluent enough to explore the rest of his corpus e.g. Theatre of Envy if you enjoy Shakespeare, Sacrifice for his commentary on Indian religion.

[@nat.serrano]

Girard missed to include sports as a way to deter violence ( as we tried to substitute the scapegoat mechanism with alternatives after Christ came)

[@mills8102]

I've always wondered if sublimation actually sublimates or stokes.

[@InquilineKea]

Is it JB talking to David Perrell??

[@jaimes7966]

Mmm this seems to augur dire consequences when US hegemony weakens and when we enter an era of multipolarity… Weakening hegemonies don’t seem to ever transition peacefully into new orders? As far back as spring and autumn into warring states, Greek states post Sparta and Macedon, post Rome, post Charlemagne , post Italian maritime dominance etc and then a whole series of hegemonic contenders in Europe which culminated in two world wars… At least 3-5 major poles rn, of which 2-3 contenders for hegemonic status globally becoming increasingly apparent now, with more signs of decoupling from reserve currency and global rules of law, wonder if you guys think that the next cycle is awfully soon?

[@InquilineKea]

Wow law decreasing kinetic violence but building up the potential violence

[@zxsw85]

Sub 100 views let’s GO

[@ox8833]

The Aztecs didn’t resent the people they sacrificed. Also the tribe in that kills some random person? How is that right? That’s insane

[@ProtossWannabe1984]

I assume it would act as a strong deterrent to make the would be killer think long and hard before acting rashly. So that even if the killer had “nothing to lose” himself (so to speak) he might still be incurring a penalty on somebody else he may care a lot about. Just my speculation, I could be way off base:)

[@robnaugle4149]

To you, what is the significance, if any, of the fact that the biggest proponent and popularizers of Girard(lets be real, hes the reason the recent discourse around Girard has taken off) - Peter Thiel - is a gay man? It seems to me like it could be indicative\emblematic of the changes(male feminization, more acute androgyny) that Christianity brought about in the world.

[@brianmurphy7461]

dang let the other guy talk!

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

Read the thumbnail as; "Interrupting Girlfriend"

[@bi.johnathan]

Philosophy will interrupt any hopes for getting a girlfriend

[@AreYouAfraidoftheLight]

The ball so be lying tho.

[@jacobkuhn4743]

So i sat thru this whole series waiting for some justification for why y'all were so ready to lionize this pomo marcus aurelius and at the end im just left with the question whether yall two are just credulous dumb techbros or if you actually acknowledge the terrible reductivist psychology/anthropology (much less the tooth-grindingly facile history) that girard is spinning from the standard structuralist canon but nevertheless think his pharmakon is personally effective enough to hand wave this away... my impression from the really annoying preacher delivery is that you actually bought his literary criticism for more than its market price. either way im still just baffled why yall don't just crack baudrillard's symbolic exchange and death alongside graeber's dawn of everything.

[@jayBisht0001]

Thanks man got something new to chew on,