Let’s Talk
I’ve looked at Jordan Peterson a few times in past posts and I think he might just be one of the most fascinating figures of our cultural generation. In a regressive time of group-think and identity politics where “speech is violence” and PC agendas have manifested at the highest levels of the market, Peterson cuts through all of that noise and nonsense with a persona that is so very different than any other social leader, politician, or pundit. Peterson is his own animal and able to navigate these tumultuous times with poise and rationale - two characteristics I admire above most others.
I won’t brown-nose too much. I admit, Peterson is sometimes tiresomely rational and I wish there would be moments where he puts a solid and rally-able opinion forward. But of course that’s my own projection of his persona.
The reason I bring him up is that Peterson has been in the ‘press’ an exorbitant amount lately, directly related to his recent publishing. I myself am in the process of reading his latest hit book, “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos,” and have followed what seems like his machete-wielding adventure through leftist jungles.
And it seems that the media is all in on this game of “GOTCHA” - trying to see who can outwit the psychologist in a recorded interview. We’ve seen the infamous 7+ million-viewed Cathy Newman debacle on Channel 4 where all the artillery prepared by the broadcast backfired, leaving the host speechless in Peterson’s stead.
Now just a small while after that, we catch VICE News red-handed in their attempt to do just the same - jab Peterson into a corner in an attempt to bolster their edgy liberal reputation. But the original was released and shined light on their underhanded editing tactics.
First off, it astounds me that both of these reporters entered the ring (a ring they constructed themselves) with Jordan Peterson when there are countless videos of him dancing intellectually around every topic that is brought up against him. They attack him without substance and it seems like the only desired goal of the interviewer is to bully the other down with ideological emotion. But Peterson has grown reptilian skin against such tactics.
Peterson reflects on this perfectly at a public lecture -
Actual Discussion
Interestingly enough, Peterson’s chat with musician/comedian/crazed yogi of the world Russel Brand is one of my favorites. There’s no attacking and no brown-nosing. It’s a pure back and forth of intellect and Brand seems widely educated enough to play well with Peterson’s deeper thinking.
The symptom of debate aggression that has been wielded against Peterson highlights one of the more tyrannical aspects of ideological thinking in the modern world today. These are not exchanges of ideas. These are not arenas of thought. These are gas chambers with the accuser pushing the lever down on an unsuspecting victim. Thank goodness that Peterson can hold his breath to an almost inhuman degree.
New Media
We’ve always known that media has an agenda. Conservative, liberal, totalitarian, anarchist. Every bit of the political and economic spectrum seeps into media. Never for once assume that information is left un-tinted by severely darkened lenses.
What makes things more desperate and self-destructive in today’s age of media, as Peterson begins to point out, is media’s added pressure of competing with clickbait and social media. The bottom line has become the number of eyeballs and clicks. So instead of setting themselves apart from the predetermined and shallow agendas of less though-out/populist one-liners, they’ve hopped on that train.
It’s precisely this type of thinking that’ll prevent anyone from slithering around the ankles of Peterson. Sorry, no ‘gotchas’ to be seen here.
😃 I too love it when people remain unfazed to ideological or ego emotion. The ego instigates debates with the only goal to win, otherwise it wouldn't partake in it in the first place. Yet when it notices that the lesser ego remains cool than the ego detests that and becomes aggressive, for it is desperate.
As you call it 'reptilian skin", it is such a helpful skill to have. And keeping cool means that we resort to our very own energy, we respond. When we are too susceptible to other's energy than we re-act, for we take over the other's energy and shoot back. We prioritize their energy over ours.
I LOVE such coolness! Thank you for sharing!
That's a fantastic way of putting it @alexaventuria. We've gone from actual and intellectual discourse to pure ego and winning one for the ideological team. In this day and age, there are no martyrs, only people who wish to stand on others' shoulders with a gold-star trophy.
You nail it! The ego butters up on the bigger ego and slaughters the lesser. :)
I go with your source of view cos he is really a great writer
Mr. P. is a great man, nice post @hansikhouse
Amen. Thanks for the comment @immaculator!
Can we like... clone this guy? Cause the world definitely needs more like him.
Something for all of us to aspire to.
Thanks for your well thought out post. I'm not too familiar with Jordan Peterson's work but find him very interesting from what you have posted. Will be listening to these podcasts and may even have a read of the book!
I highly highly recommend it. He is tour de force.
It's funny because I went on a binge-watching all the videos you just posted last week. I agree with much of what he says. I believe Ben Shapiro is similar in some of the argumentation, which he brings up as well. And I like what both of them represent.
I enjoy Shapiro a great deal as well. I think he has a bit more politically-aligned punditry in him but I do love his more grounded and cynical approach.
The brand interview was quite interesting in comparison with the channel 4 one. He was able to elaborate in clear way rather than chasing questions.
Brand is far more an intellectual than previous interviewers and it shows in these though-arenas.
I was surprised he could keep up. It was way over my head.
조단 피터슨이란 분은 한식하우스님 덕분에 처음 알게되었어요. 굉장히 지적이고 사고가깨어있는 분 같은데 인생을 위한 12규칙이란 책 번역본이 한국에 있을지 찾아봐야겠습니다.^^ 저도 그분을 알아봐야겠어요~
영어는 제가 못해서 번역기 돌려보았는데 이해 못하는부분이 많아서 ㅜㅜ 한식하우스님 행복한 하루되세요!!
만나서 반가워요~~^^영어를 잘하셔서 너무부럽네요