Intro
In this episode of “The Philosopher’s Zone,” the focus is on René Girard and his exploration of victimhood. Girard’s work delves into the complex dynamics of human culture, collective violence, and scapegoating. The episode discusses how victimhood has become a badge of honor in modern society and how both the left and right have co-opted victim language for their own agendas. The impact of social media and the role of narratives and myths in victimhood are also examined.
Main Takeaways
Understanding Victimhood
- Victim status confers instant moral authority
- Victim politics are not a recent phenomenon
- Rene Girard’s work is essential reading for understanding human culture
- Human society is based on forms of collective violence and scapegoating
- Girard’s hypothesis is based on multiple lines of evidence from anthropology, socio psychology, and literature
Mimetic Desire and Conflict
- Girard’s concept of mimetic desire states that humans learn to desire what they desire by copying the desires of others, leading to conflict and scapegoating
Victimhood in Modern Society
- Victimhood has become a badge of honor or legitimacy in modern society, leading to a self-serving competitive sport of claiming victim status
- The self-portrayal of victimhood takes place at both ends of the political spectrum, with interesting differences in articulation between the left and the right
- The contemporary left is characterized by the ongoing process of purification and radicalization, turning on other leftists who are seen as not being down with the cause
- The left begins with the commitment to the concerns of the marginalized, but ends up reducing people to those marginalizations or traumas
- The left wants there to be no more victims, yet it needs victims as part of its moral economy
- The further the left disconnects from material concerns and class identity, the fuzzier the idea of who can be a victim becomes
- The political right often ties victimry claims to various forms of conspiracies, such as the liberal establishment planning and plotting everything from climate change to globalist child trafficking sex rings
- Working-class constituencies have migrated from the left to the right due to feeling screwed over by the political establishment
- Whole sections of the population have been left out of the left’s notion of who a victim is
- The left’s identification with victimhood is seen as more authentic, while the right’s is more mimetic
- Both the left and right have co-opted victimry language for their own agendas
- The right has co-opted victim language to claim that America is under attack from minorities and being cancelled, while the left argues that white male dominance is still in place
- The younger generation is largely okay with multiculturalism and feminism, but not with the fossil fuel industry or corporate government, which threatens the old order
- The right claims to be silenced, but gains notoriety and media coverage, and the left’s victory is not secured
Narratives, Myths, and Scapegoating
- Politics and culture are messy, and narratives and myths play a role in the economy of scapegoating and victimhood
- Religious scholars emphasize the importance of narratives and myths in victimhood, and it is a complex question to answer in modern culture
- Scapegoating involves stereotypes of persecution and a belief that the scapegoated individuals are both evil and powerful
- Narrative and mythical overlays from religious stories can influence the way we view victims
- The Holocaust has had a significant impact on the way we tell stories about victims, with many moral encounters being portrayed as battles against Nazis
Social Media and Victimhood
- Social media has a huge impact on our sense of community and who is in or out, as well as the amplification effects in our discussions about the social and political world
- Instagram is a peerless engine for the production of memetic desire and is an ongoing competitive theater where people outflank each other in a variety of ways
- Instagram incentivizes polarizations and memetic conflicts for clicks and engagement
Intersectionality and Agency
- Aboriginal Australians are victims of colonization and structural agency plays a role in their current situation
- Seeing individual agency and social structure/history as enemies is a false picture of being human
Upcoming Event
- Chris Fleming, associate professor at Western Sydney University, will be hosting a panel discussion on crisis and polarization through the thought of René Girard
- Details for the event can be found on the philosopher’s own website
Summary
Understanding Victimhood and Girard’s Work
René Girard’s exploration of victimhood provides essential insights into human culture, collective violence, and scapegoating. His hypothesis draws from multiple disciplines, including anthropology, socio psychology, and literature. Girard’s concept of mimetic desire explains how humans learn to desire what others desire, leading to conflict and scapegoating.
The Co-opting of Victimhood by the Left and Right
Victimhood has become a badge of honor in modern society, with both the left and the right using victim language to advance their agendas. The contemporary left engages in a process of purification and radicalization, often turning on fellow leftists who are not fully aligned with their cause. The right, on the other hand, ties victimry claims to conspiracies and portrays America as under attack. Working-class constituencies have shifted from the left to the right due to feelings of being marginalized by the political establishment.
Narratives, Myths, and Scapegoating
Narratives and myths play a significant role in the economy of scapegoating and victimhood. Religious stories and the influence of the Holocaust shape our understanding of victims. Scapegoating involves stereotypes of persecution and the belief that the scapegoated individuals possess both evil and powerful qualities.
Social Media’s Impact on Victimhood
Social media, particularly platforms like Instagram, amplifies discussions about victimhood and fosters competitive dynamics. Memetic desire and polarizations thrive in this online environment, leading to the outflanking of others for attention and engagement.
Intersectionality and Agency
The experiences of marginalized groups, such as Aboriginal Australians, highlight the role of structural agency in victimhood. Viewing individual agency and social structure/history as enemies is an oversimplified understanding of being human.
Upcoming Event
Chris Fleming, an associate professor at Western Sydney University, will be hosting a panel discussion on crisis and polarization through the lens of René Girard’s thought. Further details can be found on the philosopher’s website.
Conclusion
René Girard’s exploration of victimhood provides valuable insights into the dynamics of human culture, collective violence, and scapegoating. Understanding the co-opting of victimhood by different political ideologies and the role of narratives and myths is crucial in navigating the complexities of modern society. Social media’s impact on victimhood and the intersectionality of agency further shape our understanding of victim dynamics. The upcoming event hosted by Chris Fleming offers an opportunity to delve deeper into the crisis and polarization through Girard’s thought.
