Luke Birgis unlocks the secrets of mimetic desire and much more!Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 
 

MY FAVOURITE THINGS | Pale Blue Eyes

β€œThe true inner self must be drawn up like a jewel from the bottom of the sea, rescued from confusion, from indistinction, from immersion in the common, the nondescript, the trivial, the sordid, the evanescent.”

β€” THOMAS MERTON
 

As we celebrated my sister’s wedding at the tail end of November, a curious idea began to gestate inside of me. If we’re lucky enough to enjoy a fruitful innings, our roles naturally evolve with the passage of time. I’ve personally struggled with the latest shift in the last few years, as peers settle down and invest their time and savings into families and forever homes. While my gut and bank balance has compelled me to buck against this next step, the recent addition of our six-month old sheepadoodle has shed fresh perspective. In caring and tending to the needs of our little black bear of a puppy, it’s helped me lean into the ecstasy (and agony) of being a parent and allowed me to appreciate the unique privilege of being responsible for something other than myself.
 

Wanting πŸ“š

I dare you to finish the opening chapter of this book and look at the world the same way again. Luke Birgis dedicates his entire book β€” discovered by way of Anna Wiener’s illuminating New Yorker profile on the elusive tech-wizard Peter Thiel β€” to the power of mimetic desire, RenΓ© Girard’s controversial ideology on how imitation implicitly drives our every choice and whim. Birgis explains that such impulses are hard wired into us, a primal instinct that connects us to something larger than ourselves. That this compulsion has the ability to divide into warring factions when left unchecked is why so much tension exists everywhere we look. As Birgis notes, the Silicon age, and specifically the advent of social media, has exacerbated this malaise. The best parts of Wanting lie at the tail end, its closing chapters filled with prescriptive tools on how to pinpoint why certain choices leave us feeling less nourished than others.

β€œThe more people fight, the more they come to resemble each other. We should choose our enemies wisely, because we become like them.” β€” Luke Birgis
 

No Time To Die πŸŽ₯

A wave of ecstatic nostalgia soared through me during the opening sequence of Daniel Craig’s final outing as the highly capable yet emotionally harrowed British spy. There are quite a few firsts in this final installment, the most obvious being Bond’s unusually heavy heart, the most poignant being the introduction of complex female characters with a real pulse. No Time To Die also has the distinction of signing on its first non-British director, Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective), a tireless filmmaker with a true gift for tapping into the mainframe of any given narrative. While his hard-hitting tendencies were filed back to accommodate the brand’s legacy, it still doles out some refreshing cinematic crescendoes that help to remind that the most affecting action sequences are CGI-lite. While certainly not my favourite, it rewards with some visual easter eggs for fans and stans alike. 
 

No Direction Home: Part I πŸ“Ή

Ever since I gifted my podcasting partner-in-crime a hardback edition of Jerry Schatzberg’s Dylan, shot by my favourite photographer turned filmmaker, I’ve been hungry to learn more about his formative years. Martin Scorsese’s phenomenal two-part documentary had eluded my attention until now. Watching Robert Zimmerman’s earliest days reminded me of Todd Haynes’ highly inventive new documentary The Velvet Underground and educated me to the melting pot of creative outcasts that littered Greenwich Village in the nineteen-sixties. Bob Dylan’s true gift was his ability to take all these competing elements and turn tradition into a conversation, reconciling great tension into great art. You can watch Part I for free here. 

β€œIt wasn’t necessary for him to be a definitive person. He was a receiver, he was possessed, and he articulated what the rest of us wanted to say but couldn’t.” β€” Liam Clancy
 

The Last Duel πŸŽ₯

Not since Gladiator (or Kingdom of Heaven) have I found myself so wrapped up in a Ridley Scott production. While the immersive period drama explores the real-life feud between two noble families in fourteenth century France, its true power lies in its relevance to this present moment. This film marks the first time Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have penned a screenplay, and shared the silver screen since their Academy-Award winning turn in Good Will Hunting. Yet it is Nicole Holofcener’s contributions, illuminated through Marguerite de Carrouges version of events, which imbues this gritty tale with refreshing honesty. After tuning into the Maestro’s recent chat with Marc Maron, I can’t wait to get my eyes on House of Gucci, his first collaboration with wife and fellow producer Giannina Facio.
 

George Orwell: English Rebel πŸ“š

Robert Colls takes the lasting legacy of Eric Blair to task in this fascinating biographical study. The professor explores the cultural icon and his considerable contributions through his nom de geurre George Orwell but more importantly through the lens of his relationship to England. After reading The Spike, one of his earliest essays, it brought back memories of digesting The Road To Wigan Pier as a teenager and being left startled at intimate depictions of abject poverty. Blair was a true proponent of β€˜belly to earth’ writing, living alongside his subjects in order to offer the ruling classes a window into the lives of the marginalized. We could all benefit from his empathy-inducing work in these divisive times.

 

How Do We Play As Adults? πŸ“»

The fact that I was filled with trepidation in writing about this recent goop podcast interview made me bite the bullet. Amina Peterson is an intimacy coach who believes that the answer to better sex lies in excavating the hidden desires between you and your special other. With every passing year, I’ve found that the only true way to rise above the many uncomfortable realities of adulthood is to recapture a sense of childish joy. Peterson makes plain that we must learn to harness and share this state of mind if we want to grow closer to our partners. Peterson’s mantra made me think of this veritΓ© doco There’s No β€˜I’ In Threesome which follows a long-distance New Zealand couple navigating an open relationship ahead of tying the knot. It reminded me of Esther Perel’s Mating In Captivity which unequivocally argues that true intimacy lies at the crossroads of uncertainty and vulnerability.

 

Twin Peaks: The Return πŸ“Ί

David Lynch and his fever dream creations have been keeping my imagination occupied of late. After savouring a 35mm print of Mulholland Drive last week at my favourite cinema, screening in celebration of its twentieth anniversary, I finally subscribed to Paramount + to stream Lynch’s last work. I was a huge fan of the original Twin Peaks series, harbouring a rather public crush on Sherilyn Fenn’s Audrey Horne while secretly longing to hang out with Dana Ashbrook’s Bobby Briggs. While the 2017 installment stars a whole new cast of characters, it recaptures the underlying unease of the original and raises it to a new decibel level of creepiness. A must watch for the sound design and soundtrack alone.

 

What’s The Secret, Keanu? πŸ—ž

However fawning this Esquire profile, published ahead of the Christmas release of Matrix: Resurrections, it distills the essence of a man who has entertained me from the get go. Keanu Reeves is one of those Hollywood moguls that I’ve always taken for granted, a man with inherent charm who has always infused the highs and lows of his personal life into his work (and not the other way around). As I get older I find that my most inspiring and connected relationships are founded in people who have endured great suffering and evolved into a more compassionate person as a direct result. After reading about a series of tragic events in his personal life a few years back, I will always hold the Toronto native a step above his peers. 
 

The Danish Girl πŸŽ₯

If ever I lose hope on the road ahead, I now know I can turn to the bittersweet delights of this period drama to renew my faith in humanity. I remember savouring Tom Hooper’s exquisitely restrained adaptation of David Ebershoff’s novel when it first released in 2015 but rewatching helped to stress just how much this real life tale seeps beneath the skin. There’s a real catharsis felt in bearing witness to the painful transition of a man who finally accepts that he was born into the wrong body. Eddie Redmayne channels this discomfort with delicate urgency alongside a mesmerizing Alicia Vikander and gave me a new sense of understanding for the transgender movement. I’ve been listening to Alexandre Desplat’s sublime score on repeat ever since.

 

Conversations With Wilder πŸ“š

This book marks a fascinating moment in time and transcribes a set of lunch conversations between a Hollywood legend and a rising talent. Cameron Crowe, hot off the success of Jerry Maguire, is the perfect audience for extracting the whole truth out of his tight-lipped hero. That both were former journalists, Billy Wilder in 1920s Vienna and Crowe being the youngest to ever publish in Rolling Stone magazine (Almost Famous anyone?). What resonates so strongly is Wilder’s attention to detail and the ninety year old’s lasting passion for β€˜pictures’ with Robert Zemeckis’s Forrest Gump being his most-recent favourite. Their rambling chats possess a quality reminiscent of Francois Truffaut’s Hitchcock and is vital reading for anyone with a passion for the golden age of Hollywood. You can read an excerpt from the book here.

β€œA director β€” a serious director, not a director of television, or something like that β€” it eats you inside. You just have to absorb so much. And the thing is that you have to swallow so much shit from people.” β€” Billy Wilder
 

Jemmy Button πŸ‘€

Bruce Chatwin’s phenomenal 1977 travelogue, In Patagonia, educated me to the remarkable life of this nineteenth century icon. The late travel writer was a walking encyclopedia, a man with a bottomless appetite for history and the eccentricities of obscure personalities and events. Jemmy Button’s life story is just one small example, a former Yaghan tribal member from Tierra Del Fuego. When British explorers discovered the archipelago of islands off the southern-most tip of South America in 1830, they bartered away the teenager and transported him to the British isles where he was christened and educated at boarding schools before having an audience with King William IV. The following year, Button was returned to his homeland in the company of a young Charles Darwin where he shed his Western clothes and returned to his nomadic existence until passing away in 1864.
 

Miles Davis: Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud πŸŽ™

I spun this brand new LP β€” a birthday gift from my cousin and musical mentor Mark Vaughan β€” on the morning of my sister’s wedding. As I went through my morning stretches, I suddenly had the bold idea that this was surely one of the most affecting jazz albums I’d ever come across. Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud is Miles Davis’s OST to Louis Malle’s 1957 film of the same name, an acoustically lush yet restrained collection that held me spellbound by a sense of time and place. While I’ve yet to lay eyes on this French crime drama, the refined elegance of these recordings turned me onto this box set of goodies. All I want for Christmas is some New Wave Cinema.
 

Thanks for reading. To show your support, forward it to someone who’d like it or treat yourself to one of my books.

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WRITING | @jamespillion
FILM | @jamespillionfilm

8 Stephen St
Bondi, NSW,
Australia

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