THE NIETZSCHE DIALOGUES (3): Nietzsche and Mimetic Theory (w/ Thomas Hamelryck)

[@thomassimmons1950]

Great interview. One CL's best in my opinion...CHEERS! PS: Cadell's sports - intellectual journey was not unlike mine. I also went down the artistic path toward self justification. Funny, our Homeric obsessions.

[@PhilosophyPortal]

Thanks for saying so, Thomas. I think I'm getting a hold on this whole interview thing. Excited to keep getting better! :-)

[@kadawathaproductions5059]

Really really good conversation! The explanatory scope of Girard's theory is quite extraordinary imho. Keep up the great work!

[@O.G.Rose.Michelle.and.Daniel]

Another wonderful addition to the Nietzsche Conversation Series, and, for the first time, it occurred to me that “The Nurture Assumption” by Judith Harris is further evidence that Girard is right that we lack a stable self and are more so formed by the people around us. That never occurred to me before, but the thought dawned on me listening to Thomas. I also liked the exploration of the connection between “memes” according to Dawkins and “mimetics” according to Girard, as well as the points defining Girard as someone seeking “a deconstruction of myth” while Nietzsche sought a return to paganism. I appreciated the discussion on the need to bring back Dionysus but also dangers of doing so, which for me brings to mind the tension of removing “givens” to increase individual freedom and stop “the banality of evil,” but the danger of this causing an existential instability which makes totalitarianism appealing. I also liked the description on how the scapegoat mechanism only works if we think of the scapegoat as “absolutely evil,” and also agree that there has been a constant effort to replace the stage of Religion in Hegel with something else, causing trouble, even if that replacement is ultimately needed somehow. I’m also a big fan of the distinction between “conquering evil” and “forgiving of sin”-the first brings to mind the work of N.T. Wright, while the second indeed feeds into problematic Gnosticism (Wright also does a good job discussing the Apocalypse as something humans choose, like Girard). The distinction between “model” and “rival” was also grand-great discussion!

[@parallax_media]

Fantastic conversation. Thanks guys. The tantric traditions have always dealt directly with the desire and the killing realm (though yoga/diety practice) and are therefore the fastest and most dangerous way out of mimetics. They differ from paganism because the model is the subject (in yogic meditative practice) and are not externalized. You can't skip diety Yoga and jump directly into Dzogchen. On the other hand, we need to grow slowly into tantric arts, though constant dialectic with sutra. Also add esoteric mysticism to pathos and you have the whole story imop.

[@PhilosophyPortal]

Parallax Wisdom in the building! Glad you enjoyed the conversation :-)

[@RichInk]

Cadell, I have a book of poetry coming on in late summer by Wipf and Stock titled "Meme Measure" where I play with the various aspects of Girard's ideas, including scapegoat. If you would like a copy, I would send you one.

[@monasterydreams]

This whole desire what the other desires boggles my mind. Do I have any desires of my own, of course I have desire for food and such but that is more out of my hands. What I was thinking is do I even have likes or dislikes. If I were to look at a pair of shoes and decide if I liked them or not, honestly it comes down to what I would think other people would think of them, and my whole basis for picking the shoes is not that I thought it was a dope shoe, but that someone else thought it was or might be. It boggles my mind because it feels very strange to think that I may not have my own internal desire for one thing over another and that I can't escape this social memetic pressure. Is this something to escape at all, or just be cognisant and aware of, somehow helping you, if possible at all.

[@monasterydreams]

On another note, this discussion inspired this rap, kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHSkqK17hbKEhac enjoy!

[@iankellas794]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻