mimetic desire

English

Etymology

Coined by French historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science René Girard in 1961.

Noun

mimetic desire (countable and uncountable, plural mimetic desires)

  1. (philosophy, anthropology) A desire that is imitative, and not related to the desired object's intrinsic value, based on the idea that human desires arise from imitation and competitive behavior in groups.
    • 2025 May 10, Orlando Reade, “The deification of René Girard”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 17:
      Having transcended his own mimetic desires, [Peter] Thiel was now free to capitalise on those of others.

Further reading

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