Aaron Cariotti

Yeah, I think that's right. I think there's an enormous amount of social tension, free-floating anxiety, as Matthias describes it. There's another social theorist, formerly at Stanford University, named Rene Girard, and he described this scapegoating mechanism that we see at play in this particular case of this murder that's being celebrated by so many otherwise known

Yeah, I think that's right. I think there's an enormous amount of social tension, free-floating anxiety, as Matthias describes it. There's another social theorist, formerly at Stanford University, named Rene Girard, and he described this scapegoating mechanism that we see at play in this particular case of this murder that's being celebrated by so many otherwise known

ordinary, normal-looking people in society that social tension builds up. Girard called it mimetic violence, that people... people begin imitating not only other people's behaviors, but other people's desires. And in this case, it's a desire to purge or expunge the evil from our midst, right? In this case, that's projected onto this individual who is

ordinary, normal-looking people in society that social tension builds up. Girard called it mimetic violence, that people... people begin imitating not only other people's behaviors, but other people's desires. And in this case, it's a desire to purge or expunge the evil from our midst, right? In this case, that's projected onto this individual who is

whatever his faults might be, and perhaps the company that he was running was unjust or corrupt in various ways, as all large corporations to some extent are going to be perhaps in one way or another. But then to place upon him

whatever his faults might be, and perhaps the company that he was running was unjust or corrupt in various ways, as all large corporations to some extent are going to be perhaps in one way or another. But then to place upon him

all of the responsibility or sort of the symbolic distilled injustice, right, that people are feeling, to place it all on this one person and then come to believe that if we can only do away with him, if we can only, in this case, murder him, gun him down in broad daylight, then somehow we can, I don't know, make things right or establish justice.

all of the responsibility or sort of the symbolic distilled injustice, right, that people are feeling, to place it all on this one person and then come to believe that if we can only do away with him, if we can only, in this case, murder him, gun him down in broad daylight, then somehow we can, I don't know, make things right or establish justice.

And you see this scapegoating mechanism repeat over and over again in various societies throughout human history. You see it in the history of religions, you see it in the history of political societies.

And you see this scapegoating mechanism repeat over and over again in various societies throughout human history. You see it in the history of religions, you see it in the history of political societies.

It's been very well characterized, very well described, but when you see it in real time with something like this, and in this case it's probably amplified by the power of social media, it's very striking. So not only do we, you know, today versus let's say 20 years ago, not only today do we have many people who are cheering on the murder of this innocent person,

It's been very well characterized, very well described, but when you see it in real time with something like this, and in this case it's probably amplified by the power of social media, it's very striking. So not only do we, you know, today versus let's say 20 years ago, not only today do we have many people who are cheering on the murder of this innocent person,

presumably innocent person, let's say, but they're doing it very openly and visibly and publicly because they can post about it on social media or they can actually follow and endorse the account of of someone who's celebrating this or someone who's been accused of this or someone who's cheerleading this. It's very striking to see it in real time.

presumably innocent person, let's say, but they're doing it very openly and visibly and publicly because they can post about it on social media or they can actually follow and endorse the account of of someone who's celebrating this or someone who's been accused of this or someone who's cheerleading this. It's very striking to see it in real time.

On the other hand, given what we know about human history and given what we know about human nature, everything that Matthias has described, René Girard and others, it shouldn't surprise us, but it's still shocking when you see it unfolding in real time.

On the other hand, given what we know about human history and given what we know about human nature, everything that Matthias has described, René Girard and others, it shouldn't surprise us, but it's still shocking when you see it unfolding in real time.

Well, there is a catharsis, but it's always only temporary. That's one of Gerard's observations, is that there'll be immediate reduction of social tension. And probably some people felt some sort of catharsis when they read about the murder of this CEO. It was you.

Well, there is a catharsis, but it's always only temporary. That's one of Gerard's observations, is that there'll be immediate reduction of social tension. And probably some people felt some sort of catharsis when they read about the murder of this CEO. It was you.

Just so and it's not going to last very long because people are going to wake up in a week or two and realize, no, actually, my loved one still has cancer and it's still a pain in the neck navigating. And, you know, I was denied coverage for this procedure that I think I need or whatever, whatever it was that was being projected on this person or the health care system as a whole.

Just so and it's not going to last very long because people are going to wake up in a week or two and realize, no, actually, my loved one still has cancer and it's still a pain in the neck navigating. And, you know, I was denied coverage for this procedure that I think I need or whatever, whatever it was that was being projected on this person or the health care system as a whole.