In this episode we dive into two of our biggest lessons from 2022: Gratitude and Mimetic Theory.
Ever heard of the mimetic theory? Simply put, it’s a theory from Rene Girard that most human desire is not based on the physical attributes of an object, but on its metaphysical attributes. That is to say that most human desire is based on what the object causes us to be or what it says about us more than the improvement in utility, pleasure, or experience.
Join Pasha Esfandiary and Cody Littlewood as they dive deep into the topic of mimetic theory and how it actually coincides with gratitude.
As we enter a new year, this is the best time to be asking some hard questions of yourself. Where are your desires coming from? Do you want something because of the utility, pleasure, or benefits it provides? Or do you want it because of what it says about you? It can be the difference between permanent serotonin improvements and quickly fleeting dopamine hits. Finally, how does gratitude play a role in all this?
Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:
Episode Highlights:
[12:02] Gratitude: The Antidote to Depression and Anxiety
Gratitude is a present emotion. When you’re grateful, it’s hard for anxiety and depression to slip in because you’re not thinking of the past or the future. You’re simply in the moment. When you’re grateful, you’re focusing on the positive. And whatever you focus on is what you will attract. The more focused you are on gratitude, the more you attract the positive things in life.
When you’re grateful, you realize that all the hardships in your life actually are the best times in your life. When you focus on gratitude, you will also notice that you will have fewer desires or wants because you’re a lot more at peace with what you have.
[25:41] The Mimetic Theory
Most human desire is not based on the physical attributes of an object, but it's based on the metaphysical attributes of something. In other words, your desire is not based on the actual object, but on the modeling of somebody else's desire for that object. You’re more focused on what it says about you. This theory goes so deep into every one of our desires that it drives social media usage and consumer debt. It drives envy for people who are doing better than us.
The goal is to be able to think clearly and independently. Sometimes that will mean you're with the crowd, but sometimes it'll mean that you're against it. And when you're thinking independently, you become more connected with yourself and more in touch with what you actually desire.
Resources Mentioned:
Lecture 1: Introduction to Mimetic Theory
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Loveable by Kelly Flanagan
