What does mimetic desire have to do with creativity and innovation? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
Answer by Luke Burgis, Author of Wanting, 4x Founder & CEO, Professor of Business, on Quora:
The earliest and most frequent uses of the word “imitation” were in a theological context. Good things were seen to be stable, immutable, unchanging—things like truth, beauty, and God himself. Good things were not only untainted by innovation; they had no need of it.
Imitating the right models was the primary concern. Being a good imitator was prized. To imitate well meant to imitate the masters, the great leaders, the saints.
We might even say…