Violence and the Sacred

Outstanding anthropology, sociology, a deep dive into the weeds of human mythology. Disturbing, challenging, and exciting. Still current as if written for today's spiritual crises the same as in 1972 when first issued.

Really great book. Seminal work by an important thinker. Will probably write more about it later, after I've read more by Girard.

as expected :-D Written in the best french tradition - nothing is left out bud just written precisely as it should be

Unless you are a sociologist or philosopher, you probably don’t want to read this book. Relying heavily on cultic myths and practices of various religions, Girard attempts to explain why violence is at the center of all societies and religions, and why, in fact, violence gave birth to religion. He ultimately argues that there was an original act of violence which ultimately led to the possibility of the destruction of all people in the community, and so to avoid the ever-increasing cycles of violence, the community selected a ritual victim (a human or an animal) that would both carry the guilt of the community as well as the violent tendencies into death, thus satisfying the demands for revenge and the blood lust that comes with it. He argues that much (all?) of our violence comes from a desire to imitate or have what belongs to another, and this desire leads to a violent action by which we seek to obtain the belongings or knowledge of the other being. There is much more that Girard argues, but I do not recommend it for the average reader. His method of argumentation is laborious and while a discerning reader will benefit much from what Girard writes, the amount of work it takes to find these insights makes this book hardly worth the effort. Though I have not read them yet, I expect that “Things Hidden from the Foundation of the World” and “The Scapegoat” will prove to be more reader-friendly.

like the out of box thinking

Author Rene Girard's groundbreaking text on ritual sacrifice and violence is nothing short of extraordinary. Girard tackles the seemingly taboo origins of sacrifice, cultural order as a result, and how violence is as ingrained in our humanity as much as our need for nourishment. Particularly how the act of sacrifice (born out of violence) has influenced societies collective notion of what is "sacred" and what is not. This aspect of necessary sacrifice and violence has manifested in religious rites, particularly the "theory of the surrogate victim." This key part of Girard's theory of generative violence offers an explanation of the primordial role that religion plays in primitive societies and of man's ignorance of this role. Girard also discloses the nature of violence not only during life but after death. The passage into death, Girard asserts, "by a member of the community may provoke (among other difficulties) quarrels among the survivors, for this is always the problem of how to redistribute the dead man's belongings. In order to meet the threat of maleficent contagion the community must have recourse to the universal model, to generative violence; it must attend to the advice of the sacred itself." From modern religious beliefs to the metaphorical tales and parables of mythology Girard shows that violence is a natural outgrowth and need of our physical composition and mental attributes. The truth of Girard's assertions can be found in the historical annals of every race and culture by examining their cultures and beliefs; all of which idealize instead of unilaterally eschew violence through sacrifice. This is not to be confused with the prohibition of murder, for example, which has been and is enforced in nearly every society. I see Girard's work as unique, powerful, and more important, insightful. This text represents a seminal thrust into previously unchartered territory. A hallmark at five stars without reservation. JP

In this book, Rene Girard tries to propound a new theory of sacrifice, religion, myth, tragedy, incest, and taboo. His basic thesis is that sacrificing a scapegoat was the way primitive societies overcame the natural lawless violence (mimetic desire) of their societies by re-directing it on a sacrifical victim. To explain his thesis, Girard studies sacrifical rites of the world and especially the ancient world and primitive societies, as also the tragedies of Sophocles and Euripedes, particulary those that pertain to Oedipus and Dionysos. He gives a radically new interpretation of Oedipal tragedy taking Freud into a radical new direction, and explains why incest was feared because of its effect of leveling distinctions. His interpretation of Dionysos is singularly brilliant. According to Girard, leveling distinctions or eliminating differences removes the safegaurds that contain violence in primitive societies (he states that our safegaurd - law - is itself based on the concept of sacrifice to restore order) and hence anything that levels distinctions was feared. He also shows how the various sacrifical animals or men have the chracteristics of inside/outside with respect to the community. The book does have its drawbacks, but is intellectually stimulating. The main hallmark of this work is that it de-mystifies religion and especially represents the most convincing theory of sacrifice and tragedy I have read. As far as the drawbacks are concerned, the theory is rigorously argued in the beginning but thins out towards the end of the book. As a theory of sacrifice, his evidence supports him. As an interpretation of certain myths and as an explanation of incest and African kingship rites, he is close. However when he streches it to explain origin of religion, kinship rules, all kinds of rites etc., his argument often wears thin. There is also a question of unanswered ethical import - is sacrifice legitimate because it prevents communities from collapsing?

This book was an unexpected pleasure. Mythology and cultural anthropology have always been of interest to me, but Girard's scintillating and illuminating ideas, in my opinion, blast through the ubiquitious shadows which cling to and obscure our broader vision. I loved it -- not because of the often revolting realities of human nature which it illuminates, but because of it's unswerving quest for truth. Great!