A bit about Rene Girard’s theory of mimetic desire: Part 1
Why do all humans imitate other humans? Because we all lack something, and we look to others who we think might help us fill this lack. Girard calls this something “being,” which indicates that who we are, and who we might be, is not something directly accessible to ourselves. We need others to help us ascertain that which we lack. This might be something physical, emotional, educational, vocational, rational… we all seek ways to become more than what we currently are, whether we realize it or not.
.. In other words, we humans are prone to place so much hope in finding something that will satisfy all of our desires that we may actually look for ways to develop patterns of thought and/or behavior that actually make it impossible for us to find that thing we think will satisfy – because of the fear that when we find it, it won’t actually fulfill what we lack after all.