Why do we want the things we want? One psychological explanation is that we often actually don’t know what we want, but instead imitate others. This phenomenon is known as mimetic theory. According to Girard, the French philosopher who originated the theory, most of our desires are metaphysical- as opposed to bodily needs – and we mimic them from people around us. And because of that, people inevitably end up wanting the same things, which creates rivalry, conflict, and scapegoating.