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What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

chronicle.com

41–50 of 172 posts

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#41
Every generation has a successful* fifty plus year old telling the 20 plus year olds how to live.

Mine was The Road Less Traveled, by I Forgot--Actually M. Scott Peck. It was written by a M--edical Dr. so it carried weight at the time. It started off with, "Life is hard." Yes--it is, so why not apply yourself in life/school/career? How do you argue with that?

It was also filled with stuff that fits perfectly with a upper middle class white family. Oh yea, and God. Can't leave out God when your making obscene amounts of money.

(The first month he received $600, which was enough to help purchase better equipment to film his lectures. But the amount kept growing and, at last count, topped $60,000 per month (Peterson now keeps the amount he’s raising private)

Anyhoo--my advice is get through life without busting a mental gasket. Yes, I had a breakdown in my twenties, and gave never been the same. My only sense that stayed in tack was indentifing charlatans, and filthy greedy Lookers. I don't care what this guy is spouting. It sounds like a rail against the status quo--which will evolve on it's own--in most cases.

Our rights our being stomped on by the wealthy, and we are reading about some old fool who objects to gender pronouns?

Now--that's crazy.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#42
post #24

Thinking to his issue over pronouns... He's arguing that he should not be coerced into using preferred pronouns. Ok, that's fine. But he should use preferred pronouns anyway, in order to not be an asshole . Because refusing to use preferred pronouns isn't standing up to oppressive postmodern SJWs. It's being an asshole. And this is the real headache with Jordan Peterson. He may be thoughtful and interesting. But for…

I want you to refer to me using the 'floop' pronoun. Here's an example sentence: `Floop was referring to floopself when floop said floop wanted to go home`.

If you don't use my 'floop' pronoun you're an asshole and a bigot, just apologize to me and I will forgive you.

In all seriousness, I have no issue with people who want to be referred to by traditional pronouns that they choose for themselves. I do have an issue when people make up pronouns and demand that you use them, and if you don't use them then it makes you a bigot and an asshole (as you mention yourself). There are enough difficulties in remembering things as it is, why do I need to remember what made up pronoun you want me to use?

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. I have no problem calling a genetic male "she" that's what she prefers. I take issue with being held to a standard of somehow needing to "know" that ahead of time, and respect it, with no effort on the part of the woman in question. I'm perfectly able to be understanding in these cases, but I'm not capable to be psychic.

I've only met one transgender person. She was basically a dude wearing lipstick and high heeled boots. She was really nice, and I wanted to use her preferred pronouns, but it's really difficult to do so. > I take issue with being held to a standard of somehow needing to "know" that ahead of time, and respect it, with no effort on the part of the woman in question. I'd like to postulate that it's not just ahead of tim…

There seems to be a very vocal minority of trans people out there who are demanding a totally friction free experience to their life. These are the people people like Peterson get riled up.

I know two trans individuals, I address them by the correct pronouns probably 80% of the time if I'm being a little kind to myself. The other 20% they've been totally understanding. Anecdotal yes but I feel like this is the vast majority of trans people; they know it's out of the ordinary and respect that, and handle the inevitable slips with social grace.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#44
post #37

The article really tries hard to paint Jordan Peterson (JP) as a controversial figure who espouses fringe messages. The article uses adjectives like "controversial" and "polarizing" to describe JP. His public presence is "notoriety". His followers are said to be "something akin to a cult following". He "appears on TV, including on Fox & Friends, President Trump’s preferred morning show". WoW so edgy. But is JP really…

I think the article was pretty fair.

He is controversial and polarizing: many people hate him and many people love him.

https://www.reddit.com/r/JordanPeterson/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/Jordan_Peterson_Memes/ are kind of cultish. It's a very ironic cult, but a bit of a cult nonetheless.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without my agreeing or disagreeing, does that make the above posted ideas incorrect? If not, why are they downvoted?

Probably the way that poster threw in the "regressive" label for modern progressives (who I'm guessing a lot of people might identify as) at the end, if I had to guess.

How would you describe the emerging subset of traditional liberals who are beginning to embrace authoritarian stances in the context of authoritarianism being largely incompatible with liberal ideals?

Edit: This is a sincere question. If a more useful description or label exists I would like to know it.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#46

It’s worth pointing out that Peterson is actually not against using a variety of gender pronouns per se. So many people get this wrong. He is against being compelled to use a variety of gender pronouns by legislation which is internally inconsistent, scientifically inaccurate, and additionally lacks clarity by punting process and standards to the Ontario human rights commission which can change their process and defi…

Exactly. I have no problem calling a genetic male "she" that's what she prefers. I take issue with being held to a standard of somehow needing to "know" that ahead of time, and respect it, with no effort on the part of the woman in question. I'm perfectly able to be understanding in these cases, but I'm not capable to be psychic.

Nicknames are similar, someone you meet may let you know how they prefer to be called, and then you use it if you can remember.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#47

>He believes that the insistence on the use of gender-neutral pronouns is rooted in postmodernism, which he sees as thinly disguised Marxism. I've only been studying theory for a few years but how is this interpretation of postmodernism possible? It seems to run counter to one of what I understand to be the foundations of the movement - the rejection of metanarratives.

Many take issue with the minutae of his arguments, like his understanding of postmodernism. Still, if you focus on the problematic symptoms he describes and skip his causal arguments, that is, what he attributes as the cause of those symptoms, he is pointing out real issues that deserve attention.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#48

>He believes that the insistence on the use of gender-neutral pronouns is rooted in postmodernism, which he sees as thinly disguised Marxism. I've only been studying theory for a few years but how is this interpretation of postmodernism possible? It seems to run counter to one of what I understand to be the foundations of the movement - the rejection of metanarratives.

If I remember correctly, Peterson says that the Neo-Marxists followed up on the theories of postmodernism as a way to bring Marxist thought back into the academically-acceptable realm, and that led to where we are today. So, the author is slightly wrong in his description of Peterson's beliefs. He doesn't see Postmodernism as "thinly disguised Marxism". He see Neo-Marxism as having its roots in Postmodernism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5rUPatnXSE

Good video where he discusses these things in terms of political correctness.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#49
I would place myself in the conservative corner, but I find Peterson quite problematic.

1. It just feels too good to hear him talk in those maps of meaning lectures. But if you don’t „follow“ and instead analyze what he is saying and how he forms an argument, then you realize that he is not arguing but just putting metaphors together and interpreting them as he sees fit in the moment. That’s why it’s so appealing. But quite often it’s not logic and even less conclusive.

2. His often repeated „life is suffering“ is in the presented totallity not a useful nor true worldview. Life is suffering and joy. (I say this as a pessimist.)

3. If you then check out his reading list you find mostly very disturbing titles and no silver lining.

2. and 3. put his followers in a depressed state where he can uplift them with 1. No wonder he has a sect like following.

His conservative debates are more to the point but I‘m not sure if it is not just advertising for his „religious lectures“.

That’s what I find dangerous about him.

Re: What’s So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?

#50

It’s worth pointing out that Peterson is actually not against using a variety of gender pronouns per se. So many people get this wrong. He is against being compelled to use a variety of gender pronouns by legislation which is internally inconsistent, scientifically inaccurate, and additionally lacks clarity by punting process and standards to the Ontario human rights commission which can change their process and defi…

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