All Desire is a Desire for Being - Classic Text | Alexandria
"All Desire is a Desire for Being": René Girard's Mimetic Theory
"All desire is a desire for being" stands as one of René Girard's (1923-2015) most profound and influential philosophical propositions, encapsulating the heart of his groundbreaking mimetic theory. First articulated in his 1961 work "Deceit, Desire, and the Novel," this concept revolutionized our understanding of human desire and social behavior by proposing that all human wanting is fundamentally imitative rather than autonomous.
The genesis of this idea emerged during Girard's early career as a literary critic at Johns Hopkins University, where his analysis of great European novels led him to recognize a universal pattern: characters didn't desire objects or achievements directly, but rather through the mediation of others' desires. This insight, born from close readings of Cervantes, Stendhal, Proust, and Dostoevsky, would eventually expand beyond literary criticism to encompass anthropology, sociology, psychology, and religious studies.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Girard developed this concept into a comprehensive theory of human culture and violence. The phrase "all desire is a desire for being" suggests that when we desire something, we are actually seeking the perceived being or essence of the model we imitate. This recognition led to Girard's exploration of mimetic rivalry, scapegoating mechanisms, and the origins of human culture and religion. His ideas found resonance across disciplines, influencing thinkers from Peter Thiel in Silicon Valley to theological scholars worldwide.
Today, Girard's insight continues to illuminate contemporary issues, from consumer behavior to social media dynamics. The phrase has become a touchstone for understanding everything from marketing strategies to religious violence. Modern neuroscience, particularly the discovery of mirror neurons, has provided biological support for Girard's intuitions about human imitation. The enduring relevance of "all desire is a desire for being" raises provocative questions about human authenticity and free will in an increasingly interconnected world: If our desires are inherently mimetic, what implications does this have for individual identity and social harmony in the digital age?