| "Deceitful, inauthentic individual existence is the precursor to social totalitarianism." — Jordan Peterson, Twelve Rules for Life |
The internet's pre-eminent father figure, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, has written an unconventionally inspiring and instructive manual for dealing with career, romance, family, and personal meaning. I've found a tremendous amount of practical insights from his analysis of biblical and archetypal stories, his mining of history to courageously look at mankind in its worst moments, and his synthesizing of biological and psychological research to understand how societies fail and function. Because of Peterson, I'm not as lazy, messy, bitter, resentful, angry, and pitiful. I see the implications for such chaos a bit more clearly. I hope others begin to help themselves too.
Perhaps my favorite section of the book was "Rule 7: Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)." This chapter speaks to one of the most ancient stories, Cain and Abel, and its ideas of competence, envy, and destruction. The tragic tale of two brothers, the competent Abel and less-so Cain, who comes to resent God because his offerings are not as favored as Abel's own, finds, Peterson contends, significant relevance in our current culture of entitlement with its cries for equal outcome and fetish for emotional offense. "Long ago, in the dim mists of time, we began to realize that reality was structured as if it could be bargained with," and if reality finds your offerings wanting, resentment can only lead to destruction of oneself and others. "Not all sacrifices are of equal value," Peterson writes, and we should forget this ancient wisdom at our own 21st century peril.
Structured into eleven more harrowing, yet at-times humorous chapters, Twelve Rules for Life distills the author's clinical work, university teachings, and other life experiences in order to map a path for sorting out one's strengths and weaknesses, setting one's own house in order, and improving the world that much more because of it. Peterson's message of personal empowerment through humbling self- and historical-knowledge is the call to action that much too much of us need, but many still want. [JG]
Perhaps my favorite section of the book was "Rule 7: Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)." This chapter speaks to one of the most ancient stories, Cain and Abel, and its ideas of competence, envy, and destruction. The tragic tale of two brothers, the competent Abel and less-so Cain, who comes to resent God because his offerings are not as favored as Abel's own, finds, Peterson contends, significant relevance in our current culture of entitlement with its cries for equal outcome and fetish for emotional offense. "Long ago, in the dim mists of time, we began to realize that reality was structured as if it could be bargained with," and if reality finds your offerings wanting, resentment can only lead to destruction of oneself and others. "Not all sacrifices are of equal value," Peterson writes, and we should forget this ancient wisdom at our own 21st century peril.
Structured into eleven more harrowing, yet at-times humorous chapters, Twelve Rules for Life distills the author's clinical work, university teachings, and other life experiences in order to map a path for sorting out one's strengths and weaknesses, setting one's own house in order, and improving the world that much more because of it. Peterson's message of personal empowerment through humbling self- and historical-knowledge is the call to action that much too much of us need, but many still want. [JG]
WHO IS JORDAN PETERSON?
| Jordan Peterson is a psychologist who has "taught mythology to doctors...consulted for the UN Secretary General...helped his clinical clients manage depression...served as an advisor to senior partners of major law firms..." and published more than one hundred scientific papers on personality development. His first book, Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief, explores the psychology of religion and the universal values contained in our collective, ancient myths. Peterson lives in Toronto, Canada. |
LINK ROUND UP
MAIN
SOCIAL
YOUTUBE
GUEST APPEARANCES
- Peterson's main website — tour dates, podcast, research papers, and support pages
- Self Authoring — a series of online writing programs intended to help map your past, present, and future.
- Understanding Myself — Dr. Peterson's online Psychology Test based on mapping a test-taker's balance of the big five aspects scale.
- Peterson's Book Recommendations categorized by Literature & Philosophy, Clinical Psychology, Religion & Religious History, and more.
SOCIAL
YOUTUBE
- The Biblical Lecture Series — 12 lectures (2 hrs per) on key stories found in Genesis and Exodus.
- The Death and Resurrection of Christ — a compilation of talks on the metaphorical truths of the story of Christ
- Maps of Meaning — 12 lectures (2 hrs per) on key aspects of religious and mythic narratives, from Pinocchio and St. Bernard to Babel and Buddha
GUEST APPEARANCES
- Dave Rubin Show, "Frontline of Free Speech"
- Dave Rubin Show, "Free Speech, Psychology, Gender Pronouns"
- Jocko Podcast, Episode 98
- Jocko Podcast, Episode 112
- Jocko Podcast, Episode 155
- Joe Rogan Podcast, Episode 877
- Joe Rogan Podcast, Episode 1070
- Joe Rogan Podcast, Episode 1208
- Joe Rogan Podcast, Episode 1139
| "Perhaps happiness is always to be found in the journey uphill, and not in the fleeting sense of satisfaction awaiting at the peak." — Jordan Peterson, Twelve Rules for Life |
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