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To say that desire is mimetic is to say that it's imitative. We look to models of desire. People that help show us what is worth wanting. There's kind of a certain humility needed to understand that, "I'm the product of other people's desires, starting with my parents, starting with the friends that I had when I was a kid." We continue that process of mimetic desire well into adulthood, where it goes underground and becomes a lot more hidden than it is when we're children. There are two kinds of desire, thin and thick. Thick desires are like these layers of rock that have been built up throughout the course of our lives.

Let's follow Luke...

To say that desire is mimetic / is to say / that it's imitative. / We look to models / of desire. / People that help show us / what is worth / wanting. / There's kind of a certain humility needed / to understand that, / "I'm the product of other people's desires, / starting with my parents, / starting with the friends that I had when I was a kid.” / We continue that process of mimetic desire / well into adulthood, / where it goes / underground and becomes a lot more hidden than it is / when we're children. // There are two kinds of desire, / thin and thick. / Thick desires are like these layers of rock / that have been built up throughout the course of our lives.

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These are desires that can be shaped and cultivated through models like our parents and people that we admire as children. But at some level, they're related to the core of who we are. They can be related to perennial human truths: truth, beauty, goodness, human dignity. Every human being has them. What I call thin desires are highly mimetic and ephemeral desires. They're the things that can be here today, gone tomorrow. They're subject to the winds of mimetic change, because they're not rooted in a layer of ourselves that's been built up over time. I think of thin desires like a layer of leaves that's sitting on top of layers of rock. Those thin desires are blown away with a light gust of wind. A new model comes into our life; the old desires are gone.

Let's follow Luke...

These are desires that can be shaped and cultivated through models like our parents and / people that we admire / as children. / But at some level, / they're related to the core of who we are. / They can be related to perennial human truths: / truth, / beauty, / goodness, / human dignity. / Every human being has them. / What I call thin desires are / highly mimetic and ephemeral desires. / They're the things that can be here today, / gone tomorrow. / They're subject to the winds of mimetic change, / because they're not rooted in a layer of ourselves that's been built up over time. / I think of thin desires like a layer of leaves that's sitting on top of layers of rock. / Those thin desires are blown away / with a light gust of wind. / A new model comes into our life; / the old desires are gone.