A three-time Silicon Valley entrepreneur fluent in theology, Luke Burgis makes the provocative argument that our desires are never entirely our own, but a direct result of the social fabric of our relationships. We don’t want what we want simply because we want it, but because others around us want it. In his upcoming book Wanting: The Secret Economy of Desire, Burgis expertly shows us that desire-by-contagion influences everything from our economic decision-making, to our intimate relationships—and not always for the better.

With fascinating anecdotes, interviews, and real-world examples, Burgis explains what happens when two people, companies, or countries get stuck in an escalating, destructive cycle of desire; how it can create competition, rivalry, and if left unchecked, violence. And in talks, Burgis offers a radical new framework for undersanding what drives our choices—helping us transform our organizations into a force for good, and lead more meaningful lives in the process.