Boreas Podcast

Jan 01 2025 51 ep. 64 mins 7
Boreas Podcast artwork

Mimetic theory takes on everything.

  Society & Culture
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Dostoevsky Part 2: Resurrection from the Underground

Jan 01 2025 98 mins  
Send us a textWe start where we left off in Part 1: Dostoevsky the romantic wakes up and realizes he lives in the underground, filled with resentment, frustrated ambition, and tormenting idols. The underground man struggles to break free in the character of Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment and the teacher in The Gambler.We then encounter formidable idols that attract and fomen

Dostoevsky Part 1: From Romanticism to the Underground

Dec 29 2024 74 mins  
Send us a textA review of the life and works of the great Fyodor Dostoevsky following René Girard's book Dostoevsky: Resurrection from the Underground. A masterpiece of literary criticism in its own right, this book brings edifying and brilliant insights into Dostoevsky's own masterpieces, but only by connecting them to the novelist's lesser works and personal life.Girard traces a

Math and Masochism

Dec 13 2024 57 mins  
Send us a textRené Girard's mysterious quote on masochist reasoning being a model of scientific induction. Connecting masochistic conclusions about the nature of the universe to that of the scientist. What logical genius may have in common with masochism – the idiot-savant stereotype. Why modern materialistic and atheistic ideologies tend to turn sadomasochistic.Support the show

The Mimetic Status of the Devil

Dec 07 2024 81 mins  
Send us a textThe Devil is trending. Talk of demons can be heard from Tucker Carlson, theorists on UFOs and AI, right-wing podcasters interviewing exorcists, and the Psychedelic Renaissance aficionados. So I go over what I recently wrote about the devil on my blog: Girard's anthropological interpretation of the Devil as the force behind seduction, conflict, and accusation; the vict

The Double Bind and Schizophrenia

Nov 04 2024 91 mins  
Send us a textGregory Bateson's double bind as the cause of schizophreniaRené Girard on the double bind as a universal human experienceGirard's notion of the haunting double as the source of the double bind and central cause and symptom of schizophreniaSupport the show

Shakespeare Part 2

Jul 11 2024 87 mins  
Send us a textLast episode for the summer. Shakespeare snobbery. Two audiences of Shakespeare: the mob and the initiates. Two layers in Othello and Hamlet: romanticism and mimesis. Othello: thirst for the exotic and the death wish. Hamlet: disillusionment with the violent sacred. Shakespeare the man: relationship trauma and dramatic genius.Support the show

Shakespeare Part 1

Jul 09 2024 90 mins  
Send us a textRené Girard wrote a book of literary criticism of Shakespeare titled "Theatre of Envy: William Shakespeare." The book makes centuries of Shakespeare critics look like fools while confirming the bard himself as a monumental literary figure. This podcast summarises some of the big points of Girard's analysis of Shakespeare.Shakespeare dramatised and reflected on what G

Turn the Other Cheek

Jul 01 2024 83 mins  
Send us a textChrist's admonitions to turn the other cheek, love thy enemy, etc., from the Sermon on the Mount unsettle many brave Christians. We interpret these admonitions conclusively with the help of René Girard's mimetic exegesis. Take courage soldier! – Jesus does not advocate cowardice or resignation. We also reference C.S. Lewis, and discuss how "love thy enemy" links to

Apocalypto Movie Analysis

Jun 25 2024 68 mins  
Send us a textMexico: A Girardian analysis of Mel Gibson's movie ApocalyptoChina: Girardian notes on Terracotta Warriors and pandasRome: The Gladiator movie; the origin of gladiatorial gamesGreece: The origin of the ancient Olympic GamesSupport the show

The Call of the Political Void

Jun 13 2024 48 mins  
Send us a textL'appel du vide -- the call of the void; or as Nietzsche says, "If you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back at you" A mimetic theory interpretation of the call of the void: inflamed (rather than mortified) desire leads to sadomasochism, leads to an urge to dash ourselves before the terrible and awesome model-obstacleCall of the void in romantic pursuit a