The Raven Foundation

Raven Foundation Founder Suzanne Ross explains the mimetic nature of desire in the 1947 film, The Bishop's Wife, starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young. Grant plays an angel named Dudley who knows what divine love is all about. Dudley works his magic in a way that will fill you the spirit of the holiday season.  

After watching the film, enjoy the lively discussion that followed on December 6, 2010 at the Raven Foundation offices. Please join the discussion by adding your comments.

1.  Do you agree that we influence one another to desire certain objects?  Or, do our desires arise within our own selves?

2.  Have you ever tried to "keep up with the Jones'"?

Questions:


1.  Have you ever been the victim of scapegoating?  What happened?


2.  Have you ever scapegoated anyone?  How?



An excellent comment came from our youtube site (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rKbz-xJhoE) concerning the unconscious aspect of scapegoating.  Part of the great danger of the human propensity to scapegoat is this unconscious aspect.  Unless our natural tendency to scapegoat is pointed out to us, we are not aware of our actions when we scapegoat.  But now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Do you agree that the "Judahite" flood story is a critique of the Babylonian flood myth?

How might the story of Noah and the Flood critique our modern culture?

What are some modern myths we tell ourselves that are similar to the Babylonian myth?

Do you see a relationship between Shakespeare and mimetic theory?  Why/why not?