This is Johnathan Bi’s bio: “Raised between Beijing and Vancouver, I spent the majority of my formative years training in mathematics, eventually competing in the Canadian Olympiad. I went on to study Philosophy and Computer Science at Columbia during which my curiosity dragged me towards continental social theory and Buddhist monasteries. Now, I’m on the founding team of Lonsdale Investment Technology.”

Impressive, right? But that is not why we are talking about him. This 20 something investor has built his category of one by demystifying the teachings of philosopher Rene Girard who introduced the world to memetic desire. Girard, who has had a profound impact on some of the leading entrepreneurs and investors around the world, suggests that our desires are not original. We mimic/copy those we admire and aspire to become them. It leads to competing for the same jobs, the same outcomes, the same kind of romantic interests and a homogenization of tastes.