René Girard (1923-2015), a critic and social theorist — dedicated his life to exposing the hidden truths behind fashions and trends.Despite his background in literature, Girard's theories have shed light on many societal events happening today. Let's take a closer look:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard's theories explain the underlying motivations behind society's tendencies towards certain fashions and trends.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">He reveals how these trends are often a result of our innate desire to imitate others.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Through literature, he unveils the lies and illusions that perpetuate these trends.</li></ul>

René Girard: Exposing Lies & Trends

"When Girard writes about ancient Greek tragedy, he seems to be describing Instagram and social media. When he analyzes Flaubert or the Book of Genesis, he somehow explicates the current political situation. By looking at what’s old, he clarifies what’s new."

It’s embarrassing to admit, but most of what we do is based on imitating others.Babies and animals mimic others naturally. However, as we get older, we resist seeing ourselves as imitators. We prefer more complex explanations for our actions.According to Girard, imitation is intertwined in all aspects of our lives — from our routines, to our relationships, to our most destructive impulses.Mimetic Desire:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Can be seen in daily rituals.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Affects our institutions and shopping habits.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Is at the root of our violence.</li></ul>

Case in point

Imitation is the economic engine of most businesses—just look at the big social media companies or fashion brands—but it’s always disguised.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Imitation is a powerful force in our world, but it is rarely acknowledged. Its effects are cleverly masked as fashion, trends, and staying up-to-date. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Advertisements never say "Buy this because others are doing it," yet that is the implicit message. In the corporate world, this is known as benchmarking or viral marketing. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Manipulating imitation is the easiest way to control people and it is hidden due to its power.</li></ul>

We need to expose the deadly disguises of imitation, because it causes so much harm.By coveting what our neighbor desires, we invite conflict and rivalry. This plays out in social, political, and economic conflicts, leading to violence and scapegoating. Girard argues that the truthteller has a critical role in exposing this imitative passion.<ul><li>Mimetic rivalry emerges from desiring what others have.</li><li>This pattern can be seen in conflicts of all scales - from love to war.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Those who speak the truth have a crucial responsibility to reveal this dangerous force.</li></ul>

Imitation leads to blood feuds and reciprocal violence—escalating like Mafia wars—which are traditionally resolved by the sacrifice of a scapegoat.In the past, a live animal was sacrificed as a form of ritual. Now, people are blacklisted or cancelled on social media to satisfy the need for a scapegoat.Sacrifice as a Peace Offering: Sacrifices were used to temporarily end conflicts between enemies, shifting the focus to a common target.

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Current Examples: Today, people are cancelled or targeted on social media to serve as scapegoats for larger issues.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Example: After 9/11, political parties focused on (non-existent) weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, instead of each other, creating a temporary ceasefire.</li></ul>

continued..

“Nine-tenths of politics, is choosing the same scapegoat as everyone else.”

The scapegoat combines opposites—and is often both victim and hero, profane and sacred, guilty and innocent, dying and resurrecting.Girard's theory suggests that sacrificial victims, who are treated with admiration and then executed, offer insight into the idolization of modern-day celebrities, influencers.Key Points:<ul><li>Sacrificial victims garner intense emotions, both positive and negative.</li><li>In some cultures, sacrificial victims are transformed into gods.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard believes this relates to the paradoxical worship of celebrities, who face both admiration and criticism.</li></ul>

The persecution of scapegoats is a central force behind organizations and belief systems—but this can never be mentioned.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Witch hunters for example, cannot admit that the witches are innocent victims, because that would destroy their own power base and purpose. </li><li class="ql-align-justify"> He shows that the scapegoat mechanism is the most powerful secret in the world—because it is both necessary to group formation, yet no hint of it can be acknowledged within the group.</li></ul>

Humans fail to perceive own scapegoats—so persecution continues while everybody absolves themselves from guilt.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard is blind to his own complicity in scapegoating, a phenomenon that he even admits affects all individuals. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">The instinctive nature of scapegoating suggests that it stems from our competitive tendencies and that we refuse to accept our victim's innocence.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The tendency to scapegoat originates from our competitive nature and the refusal to acknowledge the innocence of our victims.</li></ul>

Our most violent impulses are stirred up by similarity, not difference.Our Desires Are Fueled by Imitation and Can Lead to Conflict:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">When we mimic others, we often find ourselves in bitter conflicts with them. This is because we want what they have and vice versa. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This is especially true when we live together, with barriers between us slowly eroding away. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">For instance, animosity towards immigrants increases when they move into our neighborhoods, join our country clubs, or even show up at our doorstep.</li></ul>

Our Differences Are a Source of Violence, But Sameness is Even More Dangerous<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard believes that violence stems from the erosion of differences, rather than the differences themselves. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">In fact, total sameness can be even more dangerous. This is evident in many myths, such as battles between twins, siblings, or the role of the ‘double’ in literature. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">If we were to meet our exact duplicate, it’s likely that we would want to eliminate them.</li></ul>

Enemies resemble each other, because of mimetic rivalry, but this is another secret that cannot be mentioned.<ul><li>In sports and life, rivals often share more in common than they realize. They become "enemies" in pursuit of the same goal, but years later may recognize their similarities. </li><li>This happens everywhere, but the concept of a nemesis proves more valuable than scapegoating.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Rivalries in sports (Bird vs. Magic, Ali vs. Frazier) mimic opponents must be enemies, though they share the same goal and lifestyle.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The same principle applies in other areas of life, where opposing forces are not allowed to see their shared characteristics.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Blaming enemies for all ills may provide a convenient worldview, yet understanding the nemesis proves a more effective solution.</li></ul>

examples

Artistic idioms often originate in imitation and ritualized sacrifice.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard doesn't often talk about entertainment, but his ideas have a lot to say about performers and critics. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">For instance, consider dancing as a form of imitation, which intensifies the pleasure for both dancers and viewers. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">These ideas apply to all forms of entertainment, from jazz sessions to fans imitating their idols' hairstyles.</li></ul>

Our culture rightly celebrates the help and defense of victims, but we need to be vigilant against a ‘super-victimology’ in which this merely leads to targeting and punishing new scapegoats.All too often, we are forced into the role of either victim or oppressor in situations of violence. However, it's important to break free from these harmful roles and find a more neutral way of handling conflict.<ul><li>Don't play the victim</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid being an oppressor</li></ul>

We can escape the endless cycles of reciprocal violence—but only by rising above our impulse to vengeance and working instead to delegitimize the drive to punish and scapegoat.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard argues that understanding violence can lead to its rejection. However, violence is often disguised as vengeance, causing harm to society. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">We must reject this propaganda and seek peaceful ways of living together.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Our instinct is to respond to violence with violence, but the higher path is to reject scapegoating and revenge.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Girard warns that modern scapegoating rituals are now ineffective in bringing catharsis.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Meanwhile, technology continues to make destructive capabilities more accessible.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Therefore, our only safe path forward is to choose love and forgiveness in a world where sacrificial rituals no longer hold power.</li></ul>

How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable!

How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

education

Learning & Education

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

12 Things I Learned from René Girard

Reading books makes you good at thinking up new ideas because books show you all sorts of different worlds and possibilities.

Being Creative

Reading helps you understand how other people feel and see things, which makes it easier to connect with them and seeing things from their perspective.

Understanding Others

Reading helps you learn more words and how to use them correctly, so you can talk and write in a way that sounds smart and clear.

Talking and Writing Well

Books let you explore places and cultures from all over the world, making you more open-minded and respectful of different ways of living.

Knowing Different Cultures

Reading makes you curious about everything and eager to learn new things, which sticks with you even as you grow up.

Always Curious

Reading about characters going through hard times helps you learn to handle tough situations in real life.

Dealing with Tough Times

Reading teaches you to enjoy your own company and be comfortable by yourself, which is important for thinking and being creative.

Enjoying Time Alone

Reading teaches you to pay attention to details, like changes in people's moods or patterns in how things work. You become good at noticing little things that others might miss.

Noticing Small Details

Reading makes you love learning, asking questions, and finding answers about the world around you.

Always Wanting to Learn More

What's amazing: These traits  affect how we talk to others, the choices we make, and how we live our lives in important ways.

mindfulness

Mindfulness

problemsolving

Problem Solving

meditation

Meditation

9 Surprising Qualities: How Early Reading Shapes Our Lives

When you set your goals, you’ll want to refer to the acronym SMART. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Ensuring your goals meet these criteria will help keep you organized, give you a sense of direction as you move through your campaigns, and provide you with a time frame to work within.

What are SMART goals?

Specific: What do you want to accomplish?Measurable: What are the success metrics that will determine whether the objective has been met? Attainable: Is this a realistic goal that you think you can meet?Relevant: Is this specific marketing goal aligned with your company’s overall objectives? Time-bound: What is a realistic time frame that this goal can be met within?

SMART considerations

You know the company wants to focus on increasing scrapbook sales for this next quarter, so you start thinking about goals. You decide to set a SMART goal to give you something to compare your progress against. You come up with: We aim to increase scrapbook sales by 15% by the end of the next quarter through a robust social media campaign where we focus heavily on influencer marketing.This goal fits all of the SMART goal criteria, which means you’ll be able to easily track your progress and make adjustments as the social media campaign progresses.

Example scenario

<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1N5SSJ-3U2WBssRHJsfsPFiXw7bM9pbQCgka4eD7g008/edit?usp=sharing">SMART Goal Setting PPT</a>

Bonus

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound

productivity

Productivity

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

habits

Habits

timemanagement

Time Management

SMART Goal

Pirsig's main concept is "Quality," an intuitive value that guides our actions and forms reality. It bridges the subjective and objective worlds.

Quality

The author differentiates between rational, analytical classical understanding and intuitive, artistic romantic understanding. Both are needed for a full grasp of the world.

Classical and Romantic Understanding

The book introduces a new philosophy where Quality is the fundamental reality, and everything else, including subjects and objects, stem from it.

Metaphysics of Quality

The need for care in all our actions Is essential, as it leads to better outcomes.

Importance of Care

Western culture's dualistic thinking, which divides the world into opposites. The author advocates for a holistic understanding that goes beyond these divisions.

Destructiveness of Dualistic Thinking

The book delves into the protagonist's past and his philosophical ideas, which challenge the dichotomy between the romantic and classical understanding of the world.

THE CLASSIC BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED MILLIONSA penetrating examination of how we live and how to live betterFew books transform a generation and then establish themselves as touchstones for the generations that follow. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is one such book. This modern epic of a man’s search for meaning became an instant bestseller on publication in 1974, acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters. It continues to inspire millions.  A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions on how to live. The narrator's relationship with his son leads to a powerful self-reckoning; the craft of motorcycle maintenance leads to an austerely beautiful process for reconciling science, religion, and humanism. Resonant with the confusions of existence, this classic is a touching and transcendent book of life.This new edition contains an interview with Pirsig and letters and documents detailing how this extraordinary book came to be.

philosophy

Philosophy

history

History

books

Books

Robert Pirsig is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Robert Pirsig has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Robert Pirsig's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Robert Pirsig

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

It's very hard to make meaningful change on something you are not naturally passionate about. Your energy, focus, and resilience will be much higher, and you will be much more likely to succeed. A passion is a gift. Use it.

You don't choose a passion, a passion chooses you

Your talents are a gift, you didn't earn them.Take pride in how you use them, not just having them.True excellence comes from combining gifts with dedication and effort. Put in hard work and consistent practice, and see your talents shine.

Pride in Effort, Not Talent

"Being right a lot" has nothing to do with intelligence, it's a skill that requires discipline, humility, & comfortability with looking like an idiot. How:<ol><li>Listen a lot. Most of being right a lot is about gathering as much data as possible. Good leaders listen. They develop the ability to ask good questions and to challenge bias. They seek out people with different perspectives.</li><li>People may say you're a fool/don't know what you're doing. To be great, you must get rid of any internal need for people to think you're smart.</li><li>You must seek out info that challenge your most deeply held beliefs. </li></ol>

Good leaders are right a lot

You have to be constantly experimenting. Avoid sunk cost bias at all cost. Be willing to pivot all of your work to something new when you encounter new data. The startup graveyard is filled with companies rigid on details.

Be stubborn on vision, and flexible on details

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shares tips about his management style and philosophy with a crowd at the 2016 Pathfinder Awards at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Bezos is interviewed by Steve Taylor, chief pilot for Boeing Flight Services.

More details here: http://www.geekwire.com/2016/amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-offers-6-leadership-principles-change-mind-lot-embrace-failure-ditch-powerpoints/

career

Career

videos

Videos

humanresources

Human Resources

Welcome to GeekWire's YouTube channel. Enjoy our videos and be sure to check us out at GeekWire.com.

GeekWire

Jeff Bezos shares his management style and philosophy

Jeff Bezos on his management style and philosophy

5 Ways And Ideas To Help The Enviroment

Why don't we use reasuble bags and boxes when we go down to the supermarket? Things like sliced cheese and meat easily fit in boxes and you don't always have to use a plastic bag to carry things like yoghurt, the boxes and fruits. a reusable fabric bag will also do the job.

1. Boxes And Bags

A meat eater diet produces around 7.2 killograms of co2 per day while a vegetarian diet produces 3.8 killograms and a vegan diet produces 2.9 killograms. (From ideas.ted.com) Wich means that it would save 3.4 killograms of co2 to be vegetarian and 4.3 killograms of co2 to be vegan daily.

2. The Vegan Day

At least 14 million tons of plastic get into the ocean every year. So we should do something to help clean it. It would be really helpful to just -well- use Less plastic. Like I mentioned earlier we could use reusable bags and boxes or recycle.

3. Use Less Plastic

Next time you go to buy something justAsk this simple question: what's this made of? Things like palm oil are really harmful to the enviroment.

4. "Whats In There?"

When throwing things away we often don't think about what could be made from that. A T-shirt here, a bottle can be turned into something beautiful. or should I say "bottleful" ;)

Trash Or Treasure?

5 Ways to Help the Environment

Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth.

Knowing something to keep and something to release, you can't carry all things. Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go.

It's totally up to you.

My experiences has been that my mistakes led to best things in my life, and being embarassed when you messed up it's part of the human experience. Getting back up, dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it, that's a gift.

Losing things doesn't just mean losing. A lot of times when we lose things, we gain things too.

every choice you make leads to the next choice, wich leads to the next choice, which leads to the next and i know it's hard to know which path to take.

There will be time in life where you need to standup for yourself.

Sometimes the right thing to do is to throw out the old schools of thought in the name of progress and reform

sometimes the right thing to do is to sit and listen to the wisdom of those who have come before us.

how will you know what the right choice is in thse crucial moments? You won't

The scary news is you're on your own now, but the cool news is, you're on your own now.

We are led by our gut instincts, our intuition, our desires and fears, our scars, and our dreams, and you will screw it up sometimes, so will I. Anyway, hard things will happen to us. We will recover we will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it

This is my old note that I wrote while watching Taylor Swift's commencement on YouTube. These are the sentences from Taylor Swift that I found very useful, and I ended up writing them down at that time. Enjoy reading.

mentalhealth

Mental Health

Taylor Swift's NYU Commencement Speech

are you happy, but only under certain conditions? with me, learn to be happy unconditionally wherever you are in life.

Day 1: What’s Keeping You From Being Happy?

Are you making decisions with no support behind them? Just think, will this make me happy in the long run..

Day 2: How Do Your Actions Affect Your happiness?

Are you constantly bringing others down, or boosting them? Not saying you have to hide your sadness when with certain people, but.. do you wanna be someone who is always being sad and bringing people down, i don’t think so!

Day 3: How Is You’re Emotions Affecting Others?

It could be a person, place, thing, idea.. anything that makes you unconditionally happy. You see/think of it and instantly you feel better, keep this in your life.

Day 4: What’s Something That Makes You Really Happy?

Are you someone who is always giving advice to your friends, but no one is ever there for you? Think about this.. you need to learn everything about yourself before you learn something about someone else.

Day 5: Are You Sufficing Your Needs?

Are you a healthy coper? Taking a walk, working out, getting ready for the day etc. Or are you an unhealthy coper? Staying in bed, not handling your problems, isolating yourself etc. Those things will not help you gain your happiness any faster. Exercising and moving your body often will not only get your mind off of the issue, but keep you healthy.

Day 6: What Do You Do To Cope?

Did you do this program just because you saw it and thought, i’ll give it a try! Or because you’re driven and dedicated to completing the questions daily. Think about that, if you don’t have motivation, where are you going to get happiness?

Day 7: Do You Need Happiness Or Do You Want It?

I HOPE U HAVE AN AMAZING DAY AND REFLECT ON THIS PROGRAM!

hiii! come along on this adventure with me! here will be where you learn about growth and development in happiness and what you’re feeling. a week long guide, one question to think about each day.

Being Unconditionally Happy

Are comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect the dead, from interment, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honour.

Funerals....Why

Funeral customs tend to be characterized by five "anchors":<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">significant symbols</li><li class="ql-align-justify">gathered community</li><li class="ql-align-justify">ritual action</li><li class="ql-align-justify">cultural heritage &</li></ol>transition of the dead body (corpse).

Five Anchors

Death is natural while life is accidental to mortals.

(IAST: Antyeṣṭi, Sanskrit: अन्त्येष्टि) literally means"last sacrifice" or "final auspicious ceremony", and refers to the funeral rites for the dead in Hinduism.This is the picture of SamshanGhat in one of ancient cities is India , Banaras.A place where an Hindu expects his peaceful death to occur this event in the city.SamshanGhat is the place where everyone day 24/7 there are always many dead bodies of Hindus are being burnt from many decades.

Antyesti

The reasons:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">To honor the dead</li><li class="ql-align-justify">To express feelings of love</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Appreciation for the life</li></ul>

Values

This is a very great question once asked. And have you thought of it, why are funerals so fed up with people?  Have you asked this to someone. Here is what I think of.

What remains after death 💀? 

Want to instantly unlock the key ideas of a book? Just scan it with your camera.Here's the magic:<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Open the Deepstash search screen and tap the scanner button (top right).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Grant Deepstash camera access (if you haven't already).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Point your camera at any book cover, making sure it fits the rectangle on your screen.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Boom! Get ready to dive into the most popular ideas from the book.</li></ol>No more lugging around heavy tomes! Deepstash makes exploring books a breeze.P.S. Make sure the cover is clear and well-lit for the best results.

Turn your camera into a book scanner

This functionality enables some pretty cool use cases you could try:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Bookstore bonanza: Stumbled upon an intriguing cover but can't decide? Scan it to get a quick peek at the book's key ideas.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Friend's bookshelf brag: Spark a conversation by scanning your friend's bookshelf and discussing the coolest finds.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Web wanderer: Spot a captivating cover on Amazon? Scan it with Deepstash to see what the buzz is about.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Social media detective: See a book your favorite influencer is raving about? Scan the cover to discover what all the hype is about.</li></ul>PS: All your scanned books will be collected in stash.

Use-cases to try

"I propose a new university curriculum: 'Literature by Gist.' Simply scan the cover art, and - bam! - you've got the gist. Saves a tremendous amount of time for pondering semicolons and all that rot. Though, I fear 'Moby Dick' might just translate to 'Angry Whale."

We have a magical new feature we can't wait for you to try.

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

product

Product & Design

Mar '24 Update - Magic Book Scan

Find 100+ Facts about Education - Curated by others from trusted sources like Books, Podcasts & Articles - Genuine Insights from like-minded Users like You!