This is a book that a lot of people said "save their lives", in a world of conflicting signals, this book is laying down the rules, literally in this case. In essence what Dr Peterson is saying if you want your life to have meaning, follow these rules. He is not apologetic about his approach and he is said to put in words what a lot of people were thinking. The main ethos of the book is that modern Western philosophy has missed it way, and allowed itself to be misled by the radical left, which has successfully insinuated themselves in western Universities. That a person should take more responsibilities for their actions, and these actions have consequences. Life is not easy, but hard, especially if you want to move forward in life and make something of it. He has 12 rules and each one seems to have its own chapter. With his extensive knowledge, in mythology, politics, fairy tales, philosophy, religion, science, modern culture - Homer Simpson, movies - Superman, etc he states that our parents or traditions were there for a reason. Even it is just to give life meaning and purpose, of which he believes if lacking can account for some of the problems we are seeing today.
He fully explains things and justifies the rules, one of the rules is "Always tell the truth, or at least do not tell a lie". Not for any religious or sentimental reason but for self-preservation as others will see you as a narcissistic and will avoid you and once you are caught telling one lie, however how small or inconsequential. People will assume that you have been telling them lies all along. Hence, you will find it difficult gaining the trust of the people you love. He believes one should not manipulate, gaslight, delude, trick, etc as "things always fall apart" eventually and small lies always lead to resentment, pain, hatred, bigger lies. The very fabric of our society are linked to one another and it is better to be built on the solid truth than a pack of lies. He is aware that sometimes telling the truth may not be possible or will be difficult, hence the second part at least don't tell a lie.He explains all the rules similarly and uses both myths, religion and culture.
He notices that people have been increasing feminized, especially in schools where tough play has been removed as an example at the end of a particular race, everybody was given the same medal as not to "hurt anyone feelings". He believes that men need action and what might be defined as toughness and at the same time limitations and restrictions. That why Superman needed an equally strong enemy, or at least some vulnerabilities or limitations, as a superman with no vulnerabilities, would eventually died both in the movies and box offices as any story line would seem unnecessarily unrealistic and fake, as these can be. Boys need to test their boundaries and see what they can get away with.
In the age of political correctness, MeToo#, male insecurity, failing male activity, increasing male suicides, etc. Dr Jordan Peterson a clinical psychologist, came to prominence in a case on the use of gender-neutral pronouns in the University of Toronto. He has been seen as being on the alt-right because he attacks "Political Correctness", attack on Identity Politics, Postmodern Feminism, White Privilege, and this particular case. He often quotes Nietzsche whose readings he believes have been misinterpreted and misappropriated by his sister and used by the Nazi. He regularly coats George Orwell, and his isms and neologism. He talks of Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago and he is against the totalitarian regimes on the right and the left. Totalitarian regimes he sees has been seductive in their message and simplicity but demonic. He has been refusing to use alternative pronouns. The university to which he is a Professor of in clinical psychology, said his comments are "unacceptable, emotionally disturbing and painful". Also, he has been identified with the far-left so-called social justice warriors, but he has attacked Stalinism and Maoism. Prof Peterson, has been able to use YouTube effectively and has been invited to numerous lectures, and given up to 3-hour lectures to packed halls all over the world of more than 300 people on numerous occasions.
The book is educational and if you read it you will be truly enlightened. He givens an alternative explanation why things are so mess up and he puts it surely at the feet of the ultra-left social justice warrior. Dr Peterson, does believe that this is the best time to live in, and say if he was given anytime to live in, he would choose now. We have conquered a whole lot of the diseases that were plaguing us. Far less of us is dying of diseases, we are living longer, doing much more and have the world at the click of our fingers, if our ancestors saw as now they would believe we were gods. Have a far better understanding of our environment and the universe. Automated and mechanized a lot of our means of industry and farming, that use to blight entire communities. But we have decided to create our own problems when we a left nothing to do, or worry about.
The 12 rules are
Rule 1 Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Rule 2 Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
Rule 3 Make friends with people who wat the best for you
Rule 4 Compare yourself to who you were yesterday,
not to who someone else is today
Rule 5 Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
Rule 6 Set your house in prefect order before you criticize the world
Rule 7 Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
Rule 8 Tell the truth - or at least don't lie
Rule 9 Assume the person you are listening to might know
something you don't
Rule 10 Be precise in your speech
Rule 11 Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
Rule 12 Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
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