Scapegoating | René Girard's Mimetic Theory

Starting from lecture IV, we will move away from psychology and into Girard’s history, beginning with the very first human societies. In times of internal turmoil, these early societies would converge on an innocent victim, attribute to him all the blame, murder this scapegoat in a brutal killing, and achieve peace through violent catharsis. These founding murders gave rise to institutions, cultures, and even gods themselves. Far are we from the comfort of social contracts. Girard’s unsettling conclusion is that peace is built on the corpses of innocent victims. Worldly order demands violence and deceit.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:16 The Trojan War and Reciprocal Violence
00:13:51 Oedipus and the Scapegoat Mechanism
00:15:23 Step One: Mimetic Contagion
00:25:06 Step Two: Founding Murder
00:29:22 Consensus, Deceit, and Catharsis
00:36:04 Three Marks of the Victim
00:41:18 Step Three: Divinization
00:46:30 A Revaluation of Values
00:51:26 Step Four: Institutionalization
01:03:33 The Violent Foundations of Society
01:06:39 The Hymn of Purusha
1:10:20 The Founding of Rome
1:13:10 Moral Paradigm Shifts

[@bi.johnathan]

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[@doghouse010]

The classical music. The gesticulation. The camera angles. The shelving - my god the shelving! I'm captivated!!!

[@orangesurfboard2238]

I want to imitate them! I'm jealous!

[@acejohnpaulapolinario9492]

​@@orangesurfboard2238hahaha I see what you did there

[@emilioflores12349]

Name of song?

[@Mistra2234]

I wonder if its mimetic now to compliment the release of each new lecture. This one’s another banger, thanks for making Christmas bright and me slightly brighter.

[@AntonioSosa-hy5zv]

Everything you do to some degree is mimetic

[@alexandramarco4107]

Excellent exposition. One addition- 4th mark to add in regard to choosing a particular scapegoat. A scapegoat victim is a person that the mob can easily have a negative emotion about. The negative emotions of envy or resentment, are the easiest to tap. Higher intelligence, wealth or competence makes a person much more likely to be a scapegoat victim, than people of low status. Actual criminals (really low status) are never chosen.

[@orangesurfboard2238]

Yes, the mob chose Barrabas, an actual revolutionary, over Jesus. Scapegoating is essentially jealousy and spite.

[@paulward2333]

Mmmm . . . Nazis, Fascists, and Soviets weren't exactly gentle with common criminals, and the Tough On Crime stance of American politicians (of either party) often feels a bit scapegoat-y to me.

[@nurfuis]

Excellent lectures. The delivery is really good. Cadence and energy are so consistent and flows like a winter stream.

[@alexandroskefalas4802]

Incredible!! Thank you so much for providing such high-quality material!!

[@bi.johnathan]

Our pleasure!

[@ivanvrljic6221]

Right on time. Thankyou johnathan.

[@RollYOUrD1ce]

I believe that love is an involuntary and that virtue is the ultimate currency. In a world where human work, the real actuators of desire can be replaced by automation, what is there really left for human beings to do? Art is interesting, but what meaning is there in art if not the expression and exploration of virtues? Being more and more peaceful, loving to each other is the future. Peace is a continuum. Even with seemingly peaceful communication, microaggressions are possible. If there is one thing we can compete on, it is loving each other more and more. Or maybe not, as that is driven by metaphysical desire too. 🤔 Love, then, should only be for its own sake - not to gain status or for envy.

[@bi.johnathan]

Your intuition is spot on. Girard would go on to believe that love/compassion/concern for victims has become the mimetic game of modernity and this can have quite disastrous consequences. See lecture VI where we elaborate on this.

[@rayffis]

Incredible lectures. Succinct, devoid of filler.

[@parksgore]

Super grateful for these

[@bahreh.7807]

A must watch piece. Mimetic theory uncovers the root cause to the corrupted humanity.

[@matthewkay1327]

I hope you guys are in time to save the world.

[@bi.johnathan]

This is the final sentence of Girard's final (major) work: "In 1815, the Congress of Vienna was still able to put an end to the War of the Sixth Coalition. That era is over. Violence can no longer be checked. From this point of view, we can say that the apocalypse has [already] begun." We might be too late.

[@Mr0rris0]

Chat gpt fired tucker carlson :O (Rise of the machines joke)

[@elel2608]

1:04:09 cohesion is founded on finding a common enemy

[@Flutten]

I am so thankful for these lectures

[@bi.johnathan]

thanks for engaging with our work!

[@JeremyDooley]

The present day moral paradigm was created in the last "fourth turning." The next fourth turning is upon us.

[@nat.serrano]

So we fear mimesis or oneness which is the past state of the child of God, the ego wants to remain in separation

[@UntoldStories17394]

One other interesting example : Mudering Ali has created the Shia Islam (Iran).

[@elel2608]

1:02:02

[@123axel123]

The Facebook analogy is ridiculous. However, Zuckerberg is a scapegoat? Has he been punished by the group? Nope. I don't see the Jewish example as relevant. Why even bring it up? All the examples provided are based on pre-enlightenment views. It would have been nice with one modern example of what Johnathan is talking about. This episode not as good as the previous episodes focusing on psychology. Is the scapegoat mechanisms even relevant today? Not discussed, but I would be very interested to understand. Or was the scapegoat mechanism cancelled with the emergence of Christianity? Side comments: I really like the idea that unanimous judgements are suspect. (31 min). Finally, it is called the Goodwin's Law, not the Hitler effect (76 min)

[@bi.johnathan]

These are good objections that you bring up. I would reply to the Zuckerberg objection that "punishment": 1. does not necessarily mean formal punishment (legal, monetary), although facebook has been punished even in these ways. There can be punishment of public opinion which precedes, say, violence. I do think Zuck has taken a beating in the court of public opinion. 2. can (and often does) co-exist with keeping power, at least for a while. Girard would point to examples where people who were imprisoned with the intension of being sacrificed having a godly aura around them (not unlike the pharmakos example) and were able to wield considerable power. So just because Zuck is still in power does not mean he is not in the process of being scapegoated. You are right that modern examples are scarce because we no longer operate in this purely Pagan world. We talk about what changed in Lecture 5 and in lectures 6 and 7 we use the tools we have been building up to examine modernity (including talking about how scapegoating works today) which will be much more relevant. Stay tuned!

[@johnowen271]

@@bi.johnathan It would have been nice with one modern example ... is the scapegoat mechanisms even relevant today? It is difficult to name scapegoats in real time out of fear of mob reprisal. Mark Zuckerberg is not a scapegoat, but he is a safe name. There were never violent mobs rising up to proclaim his guilt, demanding everyone else also proclaim his guilt. A mad mimetic mob burning down cities and even willing to kill those who resist, in attempt to conceal the truth. It is only out of fear you did not use the example of Derek Chauvin.

[@ianburns6218]

The Jews have become archetypal scapegoat, ironically, given the origin of the concept ritually. I would say they are the supreme example.

[@poorvachavan957]

Loving the series. But man oh man, this Jonathan guy seems like such a bully. Can see a hint of anger on David's face.

[@nurfuis]

Alex, I'll take Projections for 200.

[@PRKLGaming]

Hinduism is not pagan

[@moazim1993]

Sounds a bit out there, pretty sure this has no predictive ability.

[@ianburns6218]

And his predictions on Cino-american relations?

[@lenorefoxmoor9985]

🚨🎨🎈Sometimes Symbols sound like Cymbals (Iow)Romans 12:2🛎