Mimetic Rivalry | René Girard's Mimetic Theory

In this lecture, we will finish painting the picture of Girardian psychology by understanding mimetic rivalry and negative mimesis. This picture will expose humans as fallen and certain psycho-social pathologies as inevitable: fetishization, alienation, bipolarity, masochism, oppression, and inequity. Girard’s psychology, then, is also a theodicy - an inquiry into the origins of evil. For Girard, evil is not contingent on poorly designed societies but an inevitable consequence of corrupt human nature. We will never escape these pathologies no matter how much social “progress” is made. Girard’s theodicy tampers our expectations of the world and inoculates us against a whole host of, what we can loosely call, critical theories. This is a critique of critique.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:26 Internal and External Mediation
00:10:50 Mimetic Rivalry
00:33:33 Doubles
00:35:24 False Differences
00:37:58 American Psycho
00:42:19 The Negative Phase of Mimesis
00:46:33 Conforming to Contrarianism
00:53:31 The Psycho-Social Pathologies of Man
00:55:51 Fetishization
00:56:39 Alienation
00:59:08 Bipolarity
01:01:01 Masochism
01:04:27 Oppression
01:07:56 Inequity
01:10:03 Hegel's Theodicy
01:13:22 Rousseau's Theodicy
01:15:40 Girard's Theodicy
01:20:14 A Critique of Critique

[@bi.johnathan]

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[@alexmarinica5310]

I have now watched all lectures at least two times. First time to familiarize myself with the topic, and a second time to understand it. Now I am on my third watch in the hope that I will ingest the coding at root level. I know that we are separated by a multitude of factors, such as geography and so on, so I cannot thank you personally, but know that you are doing a man’s work. 🙏

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for engaging with our work. If it's easier to engage with the transcripts directly, you can find them available: johnathanbi.com/lectures

[@Starlightlive]

This is brilliant I’m my opinion I’m just starting to watch and interested in your opinion. Glad to see people appreciate the great information and the amazing technology we take for granted 😊

[@ivanvrljic6221]

Phenomenal series, really putting into words a lot I've come to realise through personal experience. Great production values too. The world needs more of this.

[@dannyw.b6447]

That set is beautiful

[@bi.johnathan]

thanks Danny, that's what we were going for :)

[@Mistra2234]

Amazing lecture. 01:18:09 Girard really just said "it is what it is" LMAO

[@ChrisOgunlowo]

Incredible. The critique of Marxism is first-rate. One can only imagine the confusion at the Frankfurt School and its modern incarnation in Critical Race Theory where complex and nuanced human dynamics are reduced to binaries of the oppressor and the oppressed, the powerful and the vulnerable, etc. If only we would understand the unconscious forces and impulses driving individual and collective neuroses. Beautiful video.

[@bi.johnathan]

Glad you enjoyed it Chris!

[@GrayNicolls-vs8yw]

It is a real delight to get such ideas in a way that is easy to grasp and at the same time being shaken by them at the core. Has a nice, pleasant setting as a background as well and that makes it very watchable as compared to most of the discussions that are done online. Well done. 😊

[@bi.johnathan]

Thank you Gray!

[@brandonbloch3144]

Brilliant lecture, I appreciate you publishing these. The discussion of mimetic envy reminds me of a poem by Jonathan swift - ‘Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift’. Here’s a few lines that capture the essence: “This maxim more than all the rest Is thought to base for human breast: In all distresses of our friends, We first consult our private ends;… We all behold with envious eyes Our equal raised above our size. Who would not at a crowded show Stand high himself, keep others low? I love my friend as well as you But would not have him stop my view.”

[@animula6908]

American psycho is also a comedy. A hilarious one. It’s almost a catharsis of mirth in opposition to mimetic desire. It needs to be mentioned, because although it absolutely references these key points, it does so satirically. I’m not sure if the presenters caught that, although I like to think no one could miss it. This is one of the complexities that Girard just seems blind to. The potential for other outlets such as art that offer release instead of violence. He’s one of a trend of contemporary philosophers who are so brilliant at perceiving and discussing important patterns in the history of human behavior, while simultaneously being so stupid about applying their own theories to present and future human behavior that they raise questions about the neurology involved in their genius/fool paradox. It’s interesting to note that this theory has mainly been seen by corporations and politicians and mainly for its value in manipulating us. As if they either missed, didn’t believe, or just didn’t care about the part where violence is an inevitable outcome of doing so. Makes it pretty clear they used it as a world war 3 building machine, and now that’s the part we are going to get to experience, having come in after the fun part of the intentionally implemented cycle.

[@rishiramaswamy7074]

Great lecture

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks Rishi!

[@vinavsharma9391]

Mindboggling insights

[@heartbrakeB]

Been waiting for this

[@nifty50plus5]

Great job again, Jonathan. Thank you for your lectures. I’ve not seen a young, eloquent, and well-kempt (both in thoughts and personal presentation) philosopher/scholar like you. I’ve been aware of Girad teaching but your takes on Girards is very inducing to me. My question to you: How would you make yourself even more unique compared to all Girard experts out there now? Would more writings on practical examples and analysis (like Freakonomics book) achieve this objective?

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks for the kind words. Nothing is planned in the pipeline beyond this lecture series on Girard. Busy building a company (I scripted most of this lectures series out as an undergrad when I had more time).

[@Spokenwisdom1]

Great series thus far. Would not describe the pathologies (sin) as "human nature" because God's original design was for man to be perfect, and Jesus rectifies that. However, it is accurate to say most people live according to the temptations of sin and identify with it thereby allowing it to become their nature knowingly or unknowingly. This is why perversity exists.

[@bi.johnathan]

Perhaps "fallen human nature" (the default state we are after being exiled from Eden) is more accurate.

[@AlexChan-sz6zo]

Masterclass!

[@figgis4]

just fabulous

[@MrHawkMan777]

Are you going to do more than just Girard. As I think you could really get a successful philosophy/academic channel going here. Your set up is great and you clearly know a lot about philosophy.

[@bi.johnathan]

Maybe ... we'll see!

[@GrandLy]

Absolument Magistral!

[@bi.johnathan]

Thanks Grand!

[@eastafrika728]

I will take my time to interpret this one.

[@shubhigupta8902]

What the hell, this video is blinding me!! The host is so damn handsome. Such a distraction!!

[@AnotherDante]

When the host is as good as the discussion 🥵

[@MangoZeus]

Awesome

[@eileenkenny9202]

Tikkum Olam- healing the world with revolutionary utopianism

[@ivanvrljic6221]

Johnathan with the super burn at 26:30 hahaha wish I had a respecticle physique

[@bi.johnathan]

David needs to bulk up (in knowledge and in size).

[@DavidPerellChannel]

@@bi.johnathan get out of here

[@martynwebber]

Add I understand Girard, he maintained that Christianity was the antidote to mimetic rivalry, etc. by taking Christ as one's mimetic model. You seem to omit this in your presentation. Any reason?

[@bi.johnathan]

You are right that Christianity is central to Girard's work and the antidote to mimetic rivalry. That's why we have an entire 70-minute lecture dedicated to Girard's Christianity launching this weekend.

[@martynwebber]

@@bi.johnathan O great, I look forward to that. Love the series btw.

[@bi.johnathan]

@@martynwebber Thanks Martyn! Hope the rest don't disappoint.

[@martynwebber]

@@bi.johnathan I'm sure it won't.

[@mattbutler8880]

Yes, I think that was precisely Feuerbach’s point- Kanye’s T - though Marx was more concerned about his trainers

[@123axel123]

Is the smart dress mimetic rivalry with Jordan Peterson? Don't like the style, but the content is first class, I think. I am new to Girard so would be nice to hear what a more seasoned scholar has to say about Johnathan Bi

[@rahulranjan9013]

Not wearing smart dress will itself be a form of negative mimesis.

[@erikschomann9793]

11:35 Where does love fit in?

[@ellenroehl6022]

Walker Percy: Lost in the Cosmos, chapter 9, The Envious Self: You are standing by your paper-tube in Englewood reading the headlines. Your neighbor comes out to get his paper. You look at him sympathetically. You know he has been having severe chest pains and is facing coronary bypass surgery. But he is not acting like a cardiac patient this morning. Over he jogs in his sweat pants, all smiles. He has triple good news. His chest ailment turned out to be a hiatal hernia, not serious. He’s got a promotion and is moving to Greenwich, where he can keep his boat in the water rather than on a trailer. “Great, Charlie! I’m really happy for you.” Are you happy for him? (a) Yes. Unrelievedly good news. Surely it is good news all around that Charlie is alive and well and not dead or invalided. Surely, too, it is good for him and not bad for you if he also moves up in the world, buys a house in Greenwich where he can keep a 25-foot sloop moored in the Sound rather than a 12-foot Mayflower on a trailer in the garage in Englewood. (b) Putatively good news but-but what? But the trouble is, it is good news for Charlie, but you don’t feel so good. (CHECK ONE)

[@derekino9143]

I seriously can't tell if he is reading from a teleprompter off screen or not... something is very awkward about the eye contact and pretending its an unscripted conversation. great info regardless though

[@bi.johnathan]

The muses whisper in my ears and I repeat what I hear word for word in real time.

[@zxsw85]

@@bi.johnathanlooks like you’re jerking yourself to an edge then stopping then going again 3 inches at a time. Great content tho

[@COFFEEWITHBUDDHA]

It seems like a guy that really knows his subject matter and has shared it so many times he has it down. It’s like a comedian that does the same set every night because it kills…but it also has to seem fresh and thought up “on the spot” each night. Anyway, all that aside…this lecture kicks ass!!!

[@Sad.vocate]

Better be full of wisdom than falsehood

[@eileenkenny9202]

Hegel and the enslavement of the will. Again, a projection of guilt on to God for his own weakness and child out of wedlock!