{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"Luke Burgis: Mimetic Desire, Fulfillment, and the Hidden Forces That Shape What We Want","description":"Author and entrepreneur Luke Burgis joins us to explore the invisible architecture of human desire — and how understanding it can radically change our choices, ambitions, and sense of self. Drawing on his book *Wanting* and the mimetic theory of René Girard, Burgis unpacks how most of what we \"want\" is shaped not by independent reasoning, but by models — people we unconsciously imitate.\n\nFrom adolescent identity formation to startup culture, self-improvement traps, and curated social media personas, Burgis reveals how easily our values can be hijacked. He discusses the destructive loop of rivalrous desire, the myth of the autonomous goal-setter, and how most of us never pause to ask *why* we want what we want. \n\nThe conversation also dives into the difference between thin vs. thick desires, how to build a life rooted in fulfillment rather than status, and the importance of discovering what only *you* can do. For anyone seeking clarity in a noisy, comparison-driven world, this episode is a wake-up call — and a blueprint for reclaiming your inner compass.","author_name":"Srinivas Rao"}