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Monday, March 15, 2021

Posted On March 15, 2021 | 0 comments

Hi everyone, here are the mimetic forces I’m pondering this morning—some things to think about as we start this week of value creation.

• 📈 3 Layers of Value. Two men were charged with cementing a small but beautiful stone statue on the top of a cathedral in Europe. It wouldn’t be visible to any human eyes. “Why are we doing this?” one man asked the other. “Nobody will ever see it.” The other answered: “God sees it.” There is the value that we create; there is the value that other people perceive us creating; and finally, there is the value that we are able to capture (in the form of money) from that perceived value. Every artist knows this tension in his bones. Every principled entrepreneur should, too. What do you choose to focus on?
• 💬 Quote. “Idolatry is the fascination exerted on us by a human being who doesn’t deserve so much devotion. It’s the war, the mimetic rivalry that drives Helen’s value up to insane heights, transforming her into an idol in the eyes of the Greeks but also the Trojans.” —René Girard on the most mimetic of Shakespeare’s plays, Troilus and Cressida.
  
• ❓Question. How does the relationship between Value Creation, Value Perception, and Value Capture play out in your life? Which is your priority? Are you willing to sacrifice one for the other? Are you okay with Unrecognized Value Creation? I’d love to hear from you.

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