Jordan Peterson

[Tessa K]

There's an excellent series of clips here showing the dangerous shite Peterson spouts, some of them with takedowns. Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

https://twitter.com/zei_squirrel/status ... yYcBUb8fWU

[Vertigowooyay]

The one where he opines that atheist artists only 'think they're godless' is the very working definition of arrogance. Pleasing that the audience just laughs at him though.

[secret squirrel]

Here's a good takedown in essay form. There's also the time he debated Marxism with Zizek (who is also a fairly absurd figure to be fair) and prepared by skimming the communist manifest the night before. Or his recent Benzo addiction and relocation to Russia for treatment. And the fact that his daughter is a meat-only diet crank. The man's a walking disaster on almost every level.

[Herainestold]

Has he resigned/ been terminated from his Uni?

[cvb]

Here's a good takedown in essay form. There's also the time he debated Marxism with Zizek (who is also a fairly absurd figure to be fair) and prepared by skimming the communist manifest the night before. Or his recent Benzo addiction and relocation to Russia for treatment. And the fact that his daughter is a meat-only diet crank. The man's a walking disaster on almost every level.

I read the very long article. It was very good. Peterson is full of sh.t and I think on the other site there was a link to his lobsters theory and a debunking of it. I cannot find it now but it was entertaining.

[jimbob]

Here's a good takedown in essay form. There's also the time he debated Marxism with Zizek (who is also a fairly absurd figure to be fair) and prepared by skimming the communist manifest the night before. Or his recent Benzo addiction and relocation to Russia for treatment. And the fact that his daughter is a meat-only diet crank. The man's a walking disaster on almost every level.

I read the very long article. It was very good. Peterson is full of sh.t and I think on the other site there was a link to his lobsters theory and a debunking of it. I cannot find it now but it was entertaining.

Lobsters?

[cvb]

https://www.shortform.com/blog/jordan-p ... 0standing.

Not a critique, just an overview.

[individualmember]

Thanks guys. I shall bookmark links for use later.

TBH, I’ve always found him long on delivery and short on content. Vanishingly short usually.

[jimbob]

https://www.shortform.com/blog/jordan-p ... 0standing.

Not a critique, just an overview.

Ah, so something trivially obvious then. And using an animal example* that is rubbish - vertebrates would make far more sense. If I wanted to discover that humans are social animals that often try to increase their status, I can think of many authors - Desmond Morris was an original thinker around this in the 1960s, for example.

*I hesitate to use the word "model".

[Tessa K]

Wiki has summarised the book to save us reading it although I would really like it if someone did a 12 Rules for Life pastiche (not a whole book, just a list) but I don't know enough science to do that.

It sounds like a mixture of his usual shite and cheesy homespun platitudes.

These are the chapter headings:

"Stand up straight with your shoulders back"
"Treat yourself like you are someone you are responsible for helping"
"Make friends with people who want the best for you"
"Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today"
"Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them"
"Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world"
"Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)"
"Tell the truth — or, at least, don’t lie"
"Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t"
"Be precise in your speech"
"Do not bother children when they are skate-boarding"
"Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Rules_for_Life

[EACLucifer]

It's basically always the same thing; a mixture of self help platitudes, small c conservatism and some reactionary stuff. And if his own life is to go by, he either: does not follow the self-help stuff, or it is useless.

Don't hype it up, that's really all it is. If that's dangerous, then I've got bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques.

[Tessa K]

It's basically always the same thing; a mixture of self help platitudes, small c conservatism and some reactionary stuff. And if his own life is to go by, he either: does not follow the self-help stuff, or it is useless.

Don't hype it up, that's really all it is. If that's dangerous, then I've got bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques.

If it weren't for all the woman-hating incels who think he's a god, he'd be easier to ignore.

[EACLucifer]

It's basically always the same thing; a mixture of self help platitudes, small c conservatism and some reactionary stuff. And if his own life is to go by, he either: does not follow the self-help stuff, or it is useless.

Don't hype it up, that's really all it is. If that's dangerous, then I've got bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques.

If it weren't for all the woman-hating incels who think he's a god, he'd be easier to ignore.

Bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques, then.

[Tessa K]

It's basically always the same thing; a mixture of self help platitudes, small c conservatism and some reactionary stuff. And if his own life is to go by, he either: does not follow the self-help stuff, or it is useless.

Don't hype it up, that's really all it is. If that's dangerous, then I've got bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques.

If it weren't for all the woman-hating incels who think he's a god, he'd be easier to ignore.

Bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques, then.

Why? We know what they're like

[EACLucifer]

If it weren't for all the woman-hating incels who think he's a god, he'd be easier to ignore.

Bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques, then.

Why? We know what they're like

Sorry if I was being a bit snappy, but Jordan Peterson really is just low grade reactionary self help. It isn't some dangerous forbidden knowledge, and the degree to which he's labelled as dangerous is out of proportion to what he does, and frankly, flatters him.

[Herainestold]

His bio still lists him as Professor at University of Toronto. He hasn't been on campus or taught classes since 2018.


There were petitions and protests against him because he is a fascist apologist.

Has he been subtly and quietly de-platformed? Will his latest tome see the light of day. Looks like a has been to me.

[Boustrophedon]

I have to confess that I have paid scant attention to him, I listened too a couple of his talks, but was way too distracted by my internal dialogue of "wait, what?", "What does that even mean" and "That's utter bollocks" to be able to carry on listening. I gained the impression that he is a good speaker but not nearly as clever as he thinks he is. He has a tub to thump and he's thumping it good and hard with a fine collection of straw men.

Just for comparison, I am an excellent public speaker, a skill honed over a working lifetime of school assemblies, but that doesn't mean that I am particularly clever nor that have I anything left to say that is earth shattering. Presenting is just a skill, anyone can do it. It depresses me when people who have something good to say can't present them well, just as depressing are the bullshitters with the gift of the gab. There are plenty of people who are more inspirational than Mr Peterson.

[Bird on a Fire]

Bad news for you about churches, synagogues and mosques, then.

Why? We know what they're like

Sorry if I was being a bit snappy, but Jordan Peterson really is just low grade reactionary self help. It isn't some dangerous forbidden knowledge, and the degree to which he's labelled as dangerous is out of proportion to what he does, and frankly, flatters him.

You're right that he's nothing new. Nevertheless, I do keep hoping that we don't have to repeat all the mistakes of the past. Infectious disease, trade wars and naked kleptocracy are quite enough to be getting on with, without far-right pseudo-intellectual narcissists recruiting isolated incels into some weird cult of personality.

[Tessa K]

Why? We know what they're like

Sorry if I was being a bit snappy, but Jordan Peterson really is just low grade reactionary self help. It isn't some dangerous forbidden knowledge, and the degree to which he's labelled as dangerous is out of proportion to what he does, and frankly, flatters him.

You're right that he's nothing new. Nevertheless, I do keep hoping that we don't have to repeat all the mistakes of the past. Infectious disease, trade wars and naked kleptocracy are quite enough to be getting on with, without far-right pseudo-intellectual narcissists recruiting isolated incels into some weird cult of personality.

You're right, he's not exactly a world leader and most people haven't even heard of him. He just gets my goat.

[Herainestold]

You're right, he's not exactly a world leader and most people haven't even heard of him. He just gets my goat.

He's finished anyway. Nobody cares about him anymore. I doubt his book will be published.

[EACLucifer]

Sorry if I was being a bit snappy, but Jordan Peterson really is just low grade reactionary self help. It isn't some dangerous forbidden knowledge, and the degree to which he's labelled as dangerous is out of proportion to what he does, and frankly, flatters him.

You're right that he's nothing new. Nevertheless, I do keep hoping that we don't have to repeat all the mistakes of the past. Infectious disease, trade wars and naked kleptocracy are quite enough to be getting on with, without far-right pseudo-intellectual narcissists recruiting isolated incels into some weird cult of personality.

You're right, he's not exactly a world leader and most people haven't even heard of him. He just gets my goat.

That's more or less what I was getting at. I wouldn't call him far right, not by any meaningful standard of the word, just kinda...crap reactionary, like a lot of existing crap reactionaries.

And most of the people that have heard of him aren't online incels, they are just people who want a self-help book.

[jimbob]

You're right that he's nothing new. Nevertheless, I do keep hoping that we don't have to repeat all the mistakes of the past. Infectious disease, trade wars and naked kleptocracy are quite enough to be getting on with, without far-right pseudo-intellectual narcissists recruiting isolated incels into some weird cult of personality.

You're right, he's not exactly a world leader and most people haven't even heard of him. He just gets my goat.

That's more or less what I was getting at. I wouldn't call him far right, not by any meaningful standard of the word, just kinda...crap reactionary, like a lot of existing crap reactionaries.

And most of the people that have heard of him aren't online incels, they are just people who want a self-help book.

Isn't that why he is a problem? He's dressed the old reactionary stuff up in new clothes - and putting his platitudes with right-wing ideology in front of a new market?

[Herainestold]

He is history. He doesn't teach any more. Nor does he have his private practise.
Some of his videos have been demonetized for being too controversial. His new book is unlikely to be published anywhere.

Jordan Who?

[Fishnut]

His new book is unlikely to be published anywhere.

Penguin Random House Canada say they're publishing it.

Four Penguin Random House Canada employees, who did not want to be named due to concerns over their employment, said the company held a town hall about the book Monday [23rd Nov], during which executives defended the decision to publish Peterson while employees cited their concerns about platforming someone who is popular in far-right circles...

In an email statement [they stated],
“We announced yesterday that we will publish Jordan Peterson’s new book Beyond Order this coming March..."

The Penguin Random House Canada employees said the company was secretive about releasing Peterson’s new book; one said the title didn’t appear in an internal database that normally includes all future books.

[Herainestold]

His new book is unlikely to be published anywhere.

Penguin Random House Canada say they're publishing it.

Four Penguin Random House Canada employees, who did not want to be named due to concerns over their employment, said the company held a town hall about the book Monday [23rd Nov], during which executives defended the decision to publish Peterson while employees cited their concerns about platforming someone who is popular in far-right circles...

In an email statement [they stated],
“We announced yesterday that we will publish Jordan Peterson’s new book Beyond Order this coming March..."

The Penguin Random House Canada employees said the company was secretive about releasing Peterson’s new book; one said the title didn’t appear in an internal database that normally includes all future books.

They are back pedalling in support of the book. It won't be published.