Foreword
Hey Steemian friends.
Like I said, I’ll be making a post everyday about my ten pages of a book a day reading habit.
I’ve been thinking about how I’ll lay it out (consistently), considering that I am a new account, as well as how can I put forth my ideas and thoughts succinctly enough to at least keep you entertained.
For that reason, I’ve put in this foreword! As it’s a new beginning I’ll try and explain how I’ll get this working.
At the start of each post I’ll give the following information just like some quick statistics –
Habit: Reading
Date:
Currently Reading:
Previously Read:
Pages Read Today (Minimum 10):
At the end of each week or month I’ll tally up what I’ve read and what I’ve learnt. From here I’ll just be talking about quotes I found interesting and just a quick summary of how I interpret the book.
To the official Quick Stats!
Stats
Habit: Reading
Date: 05/02/2018
Currently Reading: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Previously Read: N/A
Pages Read Today (Minimum 10): 16
Habit: Reading
Date: 06/02/2018
Currently Reading: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Previously Read: N/A
Pages Read Today (Minimum 10): 21
The book in question!
Jordan Peterson’s ’12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos’! I recently bought this on Amazon for my kindle after he joined h3h3’s podcast for the second time.
The way he spoke so eloquently with the ability to properly convey ideas for those who may not have an extensive vocabulary was impressive – it drew me to him and I spent a few hours watching the other h3h3 podcast as well as what made him so popular in the last few weeks (that being the Cathy Newman fiasco).
Regardless of the /hardships/ which came from that interview, I was convinced to put my money forward and buy his new book alongside his program ‘Self Authoring’ and personality test ‘Understand Myself’!
If I happen to enjoy this book, which from what I’ve read thus far, I will, I’ll probably buy his first book, ‘Maps of Meaning’.
This book is based on one of the most voted on answers on Quora of all-time – ‘What are the most valuable things everyone should know?’ – which Jordan had written himself.
Starting off
“But the story of the golden calf also reminds us that without rules we quickly become slaves to our passions – and there’s nothing freeing about that.”
The book starts off with a foreword by Dr. Norman Doidge, the author of The Brain That Changes Itself. He describes how he became acquainted with Jordan B. Peterson, meeting him at a birthday party, as well as how their relationship progressed from just being mere acquaintances to discussing certain topics in Jordan’s home (Which requires someone to have a certain taste – there’s a lot of Soviet Union artwork).
“[…] the best rules do not ultimately restrict us but instead facilitate our goals and make for fuller, freer lives.”
Much like Jordan in the later upcoming pages, Dr. Doidge mixes the ideas of rules, religious story, ideology, neuroscience, and psychology.
Evolution.
Talks of the chaos ‘into which we are thrown at birth’.
Talks of Jordan’s history.
And then there is the promotion of the book itself, as well as a reference to Jordan’s first book.
“One of the matters he cautions reads to be most wary of is ideology, no matter who is peddling it or to what end.”
That is what I had read for Day 1 – The whole entire foreword. A good 16 pages.
Overture
From Day 2 I read the ‘Overture’ and a part of Chapter 1 ‘Rule 1: Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back’.
The overture described the book’s history, mentioning Quora and how he was reached out to by a literary agent, which sparked the creation of this book.
From Maps of Meaning Jordan had derived the two elements of the world being Order and Chaos.
Order being when one is predictable, cooperative, obedient.
Chaos is the opposite – when something is unexpected and startling, in any sense.
Taoism, which Jordan relies on, is brought up and referenced to as Order and Chaos.
From straight off the bat we know what the whole purpose of this book is – or how to visualize it from religion.
“To walk that border is to stay on the path of life, the divine Way.”
He points out that we’re not happy unless we see ourselves progressing, implying that having progression implies value.
He also points out that we (from the west) are sinking further into meaninglessness, withdrawing from tradition, religion, and culture. This going against the grain, straying further and further away from positive progression.
In the end, alongside one of his videos (the most viewed on his youtube channel) talking about how Millennials can improve themselves, Jordan states that we can help the world by helping ourselves, by bearing our responsibilities and walking the fine line between Yin and Yang.
“[…] the soul of the individual eternally hungers for the heroism of genuine Being, and that the willingness to take on that responsibility is identical to the decision to live a meaningful life.”
Rule 1: Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back
Hooooh boy. This chapter. Not even halfway through but the references to lobsters, birds, animals – it’s a lot to take in at once AND it’s amusing. Not at all to detract the value from it.
It is always interesting to see as to what lines we can draw from other living beings on this planet.
From lobsters we can understand the social hierarchy and compare it to Humans.
From lobsters we can understand how they are affected by serotonin, and in turn, affects us.
From lobsters we can understand how escalations of social interaction occur and the implications or damage that comes with it.
The strongest rise to the top – those down below are quick to drop.
“When the aristocracy catches a cold, as it is said, the working class dies of pneumonia."
From hierarchy to dominance, dominance to territory, territory to defensive tactics.
I think that Peterson does well in the fact that he expresses his ideas in a way that allows us for also to learn something different as well.
Would I have learnt all about lobsters if I hadn’t read this book? Probably not.
Of course, there is bound to be some bad things about the book. I’m just caught up in the hype to read this as much as possible.
I may have made a mistake choosing this to be my first book to blog about.
Oops.
Peterson also brings up the principle of Price’s law, describing how it can work in relation to anything.
Perhaps I’m describing too much of what’s going on in the book as well. But I can’t help but jump at the sight of new information.
I want my brain to be stuffed with all that I can possibly learn.
From what I’ll describe in a later post, being able to draw conclusions between ideas, especially those that are already firmly ingrained in your brain, helps new information cement itself in your memory and understand at a greater rate.
Good books are those who can deliver knowledge under different analogies and concepts.I still haven’t finished this chapter, so I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow!
But here – just a history quote from the book.
“Lobsters have been around, in one form or another, for more than 350 million years. […] Sixty-five million years ago, there were still dinosaurs. […] This means that dominance hierarchies have been an essentially permanent feature of the environment to which all complex life has adapted.”
Gee whiz – get a load of that.
Oh! And one complaint about this book, which isn’t entirely bad, is how much I’ve been looking at the dictionary.
Give me all the facts but coming across a word which I don’t know?
Pah.
All in good nature, of course ;).
To the end! Finally! (Says you)
Whoo. That was a post and a half. I swear the posts after this won’t be as long. I had to combine both days because yesterday was my first day! I was getting used to Steemit! Promise!
But anyways,
Thanks for joining this ride! I hope you’ve enjoyed it thus far.
Tell me what you think of the book at its current stage! What are your thoughts on the quotes given?
And don’t forget to follow if you’d like to see more updates and thoughts from me,
C8.
Feel free to check out my last post! Click here!
Great post c8it! I think you summarised your first two days of reading very well. As a History enthusiast, I can definitely relate to the quote:
"When the aristocracy catches a cold, as it is said, the working class dies of pneumonia."
Whilst it was obvious back then, unfortunately we are still seeing examples of where the working class dies both metaphorically and literally when the new form of 'artistocracy' in modern society takes a wrong turn or decides to create conflict.
Thanks! it took a while to get my head around what was being said in the book.
With the quote it reminded me of an article I had read a while back - 'When the Americans sneeze it's the Australians that catch the cold.'
It was some old political article, haha.
I think there can be some change if we always have a good grasp of ourselves - something akin to Jordan Peterson's book.
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