Desire - Carter Jobe

 In reading Desire and Its Mirror Effects, Girard and Lacan, I was captivated by Girard's ideas of what desire is and how it is formed. He believes that desire is not autonomous or second nature, but rather something that happens due to us observing others around us. When we perceive that something is wanted by those around us, we are compelled to like it ourselves. 

This effect is seen in trends on social media, where items like clothing pieces or a new drink or a piece of technology goes viral and all of a sudden, everybody wants it. We feel pressured to like these items and see the appeal because our peers do as well. In other areas in society, most humans have the same ultimate goal (The American Dream) because it is standardized as this measure of what should be desired, and nearly everyone seeks to aspire to this method of living. 

To build on this, I would like to point out that there is always a population that goes against the grain, who strive to not enjoy the same things as other. These people seek out niche interests not because they are free of this behavior, but rather ironically because they are no different. They desire to be different than the masses because to be unique is valued in our society, especially nowadays in the age of social media where communities gather to glorify gatekeeping and being alternative. Ultimately, it all links back to Girard's fascinating philosophy that we desire things not for ourselves, but because of the influence of others in our community.

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