The Well | Why we want the wrong things | Luke Burgis @The-Well | Uploaded May 2023 | Updated October 2024, 54 minutes ago.
Your desires are central to your self-identity — but do you really have any control over what you want?
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One of the most fundamental human beliefs is the idea that we are autonomous — that our unique desires come from deep within. But what if the truth is more complicated?
According to Luke Burgis, veteran entrepreneur and author of Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life, which draws from the work of French polymath René Girard, our desires are memetic: that is to say, strongly shaped by models around us, whether that be celebrities, influencers, or our own peers. We are, in fact, a product of other people’s desires.
Burgis distinguishes between two types of desire: thin and thick. Thin desires are ephemeral and easily influenced by external factors, while thick desires are rooted in our core beliefs and values. In order to take control of our desires and avoid being pushed and pulled in directions that aren’t true to ourselves, we must identify the difference between the two.
Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/mimetic-desire-want
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Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
So what do they think?
How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?
Let’s dive into The Well.
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Your desires are central to your self-identity — but do you really have any control over what you want?
❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell
❍ Up next: Why belief is the most powerful disruptor youtube.com/watch?v=iJitID2HAhc
One of the most fundamental human beliefs is the idea that we are autonomous — that our unique desires come from deep within. But what if the truth is more complicated?
According to Luke Burgis, veteran entrepreneur and author of Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life, which draws from the work of French polymath René Girard, our desires are memetic: that is to say, strongly shaped by models around us, whether that be celebrities, influencers, or our own peers. We are, in fact, a product of other people’s desires.
Burgis distinguishes between two types of desire: thin and thick. Thin desires are ephemeral and easily influenced by external factors, while thick desires are rooted in our core beliefs and values. In order to take control of our desires and avoid being pushed and pulled in directions that aren’t true to ourselves, we must identify the difference between the two.
Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/mimetic-desire-want
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
❍ About The Well ❍
Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
So what do they think?
How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?
Let’s dive into The Well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join The Well on your favorite platforms:
❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB
❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
