“Girard’s work shows that all human societies have mythologies. The most common is variously described as the victimage mechanism or scapegoating. Societies based on this mythology form when someone is accused as a scapegoat for the conflict that exists in society. Guilt is incidental. “Girard suggests that modern societies, too, are based on mythologies. The many symbols of nationalism—cheering the president, singing the anthem, waving the flag, and taboos and penalties against those who don’t cheer, sing or wave loudly enough—all these are typical of mythologies in other societies. “The problem we have is that we do not think so. “When some wild Arab spokesman describes America as the
