What is scandal in mimetic theory?
Scandal is a translation of Hebrew and Greek words that both mean “stumbling block.” According to mimetic theory, scandal occurs when a person or group feels they are blocked from the object they desire by the model of their desires – the one who is thought to have an object of property, prestige or power. The object cannot be obtained either because everyone in the group prevents everyone else in the group from getting it due to the intense rivalry, or because the object cannot be taken from the model. Either way, frustration increases among members of the group and they need an outlet, otherwise there will be all-out war. The outlet for their frustrations is violence directed against a scapegoat.
