>[!abstract] >The mimetic theory of desire, developed by René Girard, holds that human desires are not autonomous but imitative: we want things because others want them, making desire triangular (subject, model, object) rather than linear. This imitation often leads to rivalry, since the model doubles as both inspiration and obstacle, escalating competition and conflict. Girard extends the theory to explain social phenomena such as scapegoating and violence, arguing that communities resolve mimetic rivalry by uniting against a common victim. At its core, the theory reframes desire as socially mediated, destabilizing the notion of purely individual wants. >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): [[Social learning theory]] >- **West** (similar): [[Imitative behavior]] >- **East** (different): [[Autonomous desire]] >- **South** (downstream): [[Scapegoat mechanism]]