In "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World," René Girard embarks on a profound exploration of the underpinnings of human culture, challenging the bedrock of conventional wisdom in literature, anthropology, religion, and psychoanalysis with a fierce and enlightening critique. With a narrative as compelling as it is scholarly, Girard unravels the intricate fabric of societal constructs to reveal a startling thesis on the origins and mechanisms of human conflict and its resolution. Through a captivating dialogue with two psychiatrists, Girard navigates a labyrinth of human behavior and mimetic rivalry, proposing that the very essence of social harmony and discord stems from our innate tendency to mimic each other, thereby escalating conflicts that paradoxically bind us closer together. At the heart of Girard's argument lies the controversial and enlightening examination of the scapegoat mechanism, a primordial solution to communal crises, which he argues is foundational not only to the genesis of religious rituals but also to the scaffold of societal order itself. Delving deeper, Girard sets his sights on Christianity, presenting a groundbreaking interpretation of its sacrificial system not as a divine mandate but as a human construct, thereby challenging Freud's "Totem and Taboo" and reshaping our understanding of violence, sacrifice, and the sacred. "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World" stands as a monumental work, inviting readers into a transformative reflection on the violence that shadows human existence and the redemption that narrative and myth offer, marking a pivotal turn in the quest to understand the enigmas at the core of human society.