Any Jordan Peterson fans out there?

[TreyAllDay]

Any Jordan Peterson fans/critics out there, or anyone who has read 12 rules for life? I'm curious what some of the fast-lane opinions are. Got the book because I liked a lot of what I saw from him online, and it was interesting to hear the hype online, endless people talking about how the book "turned their life around". Not that I need my life turned around, but was still curious enough to get it.

I'm about 100 pages in and not positive what to think or if I need to keep reading. Some of the lessons seem obvious - maybe useful to people who's lives are a mess. But so far it's been: be confident, take care of yourself, don't hang out with losers, compare yourself to yourself not others. To be honest: a lot of this was covered in MFL it seems.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Never heard of him, thought he was one of these new millennial gurus. Man, was I off.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

@Ninjakid "He's a psychologist who's helping other people to understand and better themselves, and teaching millions of people, how is that not doing anything?"


Psychologists are useless.

I've dealt with many first hand.

Any profession the relies on sitting in a 4 walled room and talking for hours and billable hours will get exactly the results you expect from such a passive activity:

None.

Not to say some well chosen relevant words from someone who has a track record of successful action can't be valuable.

It can.

Some of the advice on this forum would qualify.

But mass market abstract generalizations pumped up with tons of word fluff doesn't change anything.

And people's understanding and bettering themselves is done through their OWN understanding and ACTION.

To say Jordan Peterson helps people improve is one of those subjective statements that can't be proven or disproven.

Which is exactly my point.

Who has more impact: someone on the on the Forbes 400 Billionaire list that has built something real and tangible that people use or an author who puts words on a page and talks on a stage?

Curing someone's cancer is making their life better.

No words or subjectivity needed.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

From his site:

Future Authoring has been used by over 10,000 people and has shown to help them achieve more, while alleviating anxiety about the future through a feeling of clarity of purpose and direction.

While most Future Authoring participants feel better about their future and generally achieve more towards their goals, there have been academic studies performed to demonstrate the effect of the Future Authoring program:

Four hundred students completed an abbreviated version of the Future Authoring program during freshman orientation at an undergraduate college. By the second semester, 27% of the class had dropped out, while only 14% of the group that had used Future Authoring had left the college.

Other university studies have shown that not only does Future Authoring help students avoid dropping out, but it also improves their performance in terms of grade point average and the number of credits earned.

He's a clinical psychologist, so he's a bit more useful than the, "So how does that make you feel," types.
His research: Jordan B Peterson

If you guys take a step back from his words and look at what hes actually doing...

1. The content he provides for free on YouTube is his marketing. He even turned off ads to reduce customer to product friction.

He does give useful advice. I know I've learned a lot about myself just from listening to his early lectures. And even corrected 1 of my negative habits because of this understanding.

Then don't forget the controversial viewpoints that get people talking about him and bringing him on their shows.

2. His all over the place style of speaking is for his target audience. Millennials with the short attention spans. In one second he's on Disney, the next on Stalin.

3. His target market isn't just Millenials, but males basically at the bottom of the barrel. IE His future authoring program. Which looks like a goal setting exercise.

There are few people who teens-adolescence can look up to and say, goal setting is cool.

Plus he's making boatloads of money....

60k/mo on patreon
His book tour
His products

Seems fastlane to me.

e's a profoundly pessimistic and negative person.

I see it as realistic.

If that's all you're getting from him, perhaps it says more about you than of Peterson.

What's that quote? It's not the situation, but how you react to it.

 

[GregDott]

I like JP. Read 12 rules not so long ago.

I like his basic message of responsibility. There is a bit of a cultish following appearing though. Not sure what to make of that. I see it putting people off of him a bit.

On the religious side of things, I'm not christian, but I appreciate his take on the stories: moral, archetypal lessons. Stories we crafted by watching ourselves and learning from that. I think his focus on these stories comes from the fact that they have survived for so long, and so there comes the notion that perhaps they contain something of value, even if not exactly what fundamentalists would have you believe.

 

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[lowtek]

I'm a fan.

Now excuse me while I go sort out my lobsters.

 

[rollerskates]

I'm a big Jordan Peterson fan. I really liked 12 Rules for Life, but it's a pretty heavy read and probably requires more than one read through. I took a bunch of notes and keep going back to them.

I particularly love that he's a big fan of cleaning up your own life before taking on the world. Like people who march for causes but can't even brush their hair.

 

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[Envious]

Hey Trey,

I'm a big Jordan Peterson fan so i'll try to be unbiased with this.
I definitely think the book is worth reading all the way through, while some of the "rules for life" may seem a little obvious, there is valuable information throughout this book, Jordan's unique way of thinking and anecdotes really changes your perspective on the subjects he writes about.

With that said, It's quite a heavy read and I will likely have to read it again as I noticed myself struggling to completely comprehend some of the concepts he explains and writes about. I also found it a little too religion heavy for my preference but overall well worth continuing with.

Hope that helps!

 

[Kak]

I like his debate videos. Yes I’m a fan.

 

[NanoDrake]

@GoGetter24 you are missing a key point
Please allow to me to explain.

life is hard, and F*cking miserable sometimes. Just because you are in the 1% of the lucky people of this planet (you have food, shelter,a wifi connection) it doesn't make any less struggling.
What Peterson makes you focus is to understand how LUCKY you are to be already there and you can AIM at something honorable and have a chance to get further into another 1% cluster of "luckier" people.

That's one of his key points: be precise and aim high!

Even if you are a Stoicist, you will see similarities in accept what you can't control and start to work towards something better with what you have (clean your room!)

I suggest reading a bit of Nassim Taleb, with the INCERTO series, if you thought Peterson didn't touch success because it was too optimistic, wait till you read him

 

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[G-Man]

I really like the guy, but the fact that what he's saying is big news for a bunch of millennial men also makes me a little sad. Did nobody under the age of 35 have a surly hardass grandpa? If you leave out the cat rule and add a generous amount of profanity, I feel like most of it was standard stuff you heard from older guys growing up.

 

[JAJT]

I like what I've seen but I admit that it's not very much.

What really stood out to me though is that:

1. He seems to speak very purposefully. He's not knee-jerking his responses or spouting nonsense or arguing out of emotion. He thinks about what he wants to say and says it how he means it.

2. His arguments are very well thought out. He's clearly educated on the subjects that he talks about.

Honestly, I fully believe the world needs more folks capable of forming well thought out arguments like this on both sides of every issue instead of cheaply playing to emotions and anger.

 

[S.Y.]

Yes, also because I stopped saying things that makes me weak

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jN1ckK2YBA

 

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[Olimac21]

Wasting time and opportunities

This is one of my favorites videos about JBP, similar to MJ´s perception of time value over lifetime in my opinion.

 

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[TreyAllDay]

Never heard of him, thought he was one of these new millennial gurus. Man, was I off.

If you haven't seen his Cathy Newman interview, I would recommend taking a watch.

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

I'm a fan of Jordan Peterson.

He's one of the best communicators I've ever watched and does an amazing job of winning you over to his side.

A lot to learn from in terms of persuasion.

 

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[TonyStark]

Making intellectualism cool again.

 

[The-J]

I agree with his stuff. Don't agree with his politics (well, I agree with some of em but certainly not all of them).

His idea that there's a radical leftist conspiracy in academia is based on truth and yet is a bit of a reach. Truth is, academics are mostly just sheltered but smart kids who never wanted to stop partying and were able to keep doing the college thing long enough to make it a career. They have no idea what the real world is like. Dr. Peterson is one of the few who isn't quite like this, as he grew up in a not-so-good part of rural Alberta during an economic recession.

If you consider this, of COURSE most academics would be radical leftists! It's not a conspiracy or a plot to overthrow anything. They teach what they teach because they're sheltered, and maybe it does have a negative effect on students who speak up about their own politics. Maybe it does create a 'safe space', an ideological silo where unrealistic beliefs become reality. But it's certainly not a conspiracy.

...anyway I'm done getting political here.

As far as what he teaches, it's actually pretty good for people (especially men) who have lost their way or forgotten what they should be doing in life. Depression sets in when you're lost, directionless. He helps people find that way.

Some may find that he states the obvious or belabours points that needn't be belaboured. But I think he's overall a positive influence on people my age and younger.

 

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[Ninjakid]

I think this video sums up what I dislike about him, and why I don't watch his videos. He's a profoundly pessimistic and negative person. He basically ended that lesson with "if you're at the bottom you're f--cked; end of lesson". Let's just ignore the 1 billion people who left poverty since 1990.

The thing is, these clips on YouTube are snippets of his whole lectures, if you watch the whole thing or read his book, what he's talking about makes more sense.

Is someone profoundly pessimistic because they say poverty sucks, so don't let yourself end up there?

He at least talked about the churn of the 1%. He could've talked about what usually leads to entry to it. I'm guessing he didn't because he doesn't really care -- it's too positive and optimistic a topic.

Actually, most of his lessons provide an alternative on how you can better your life. Check out more of his videos.

These talkers/authors should just live by example of their own advice and actually DO something with it instead of speaking and writing it to others.

He's a psychologist who's helping other people to understand and better themselves, and teaching millions of people, how is that not doing anything?

 

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[Supercar]

 

[Supercar]

As soon as I started thinking what would Ayn Rand say, everything became crystal clear:

Jordan Peterson is a motivational speaker who holds the Malevolent Universe Premise.

This is why he resonates so well with all the losers, crazy folks, and others who are inclined towards negative thinking. He resonates with their core beliefs.

And this is why those who hold the Benevolent Universe Premise think that something is wrong with him. Like he is really smart but he is definitely not from where I grew up and currently live.

Because of his core beliefs, Ayn Rand would have not given a second thought to his existential theories. He is more for guys who admire Nietzsche.

 

[NanoDrake]

CLEAN YOUR ROOM!

Jokes aside, I'm not really a "fan" meaning I don't belong to the crowd of fellas that everything Dr. Peterson says, they take it extremely serious.
Although I went through a lot of his material and I think that even though there is a lot of basic things, most of us fail at being persistent with that he says.
The book was a valuable source of informations (heavy on religion) but might help you turn some doors you have in your head.

I respet his work and I think he has literally helped thousands with his youtube videos

 

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[PureA]

Huge fan, met him after one of his talks. A great man who is on a mission and is literally helping people by the 10,000s to change their life in a huge, meaningful and dramatic way.

Glad to see the positive response on the forum.

 

[Ninjakid]

Regarding the cult-like status, although Jordan Peterson is great, I think the hardcore cult following are the neckbeard types because he's saying: you need to be alpha, casual sex is wrong, women aren't as agressive, etc.

This is definitely a misinterpretation of his message though. He talks about how men can improve themselves by becoming competent and benevolent, rather than bitter and resentful. I think his most devoting following will truly get his message, and the rest will shrink back into r/TheRedPill whichever other degenerate forum they frequent.

 

[GoGetter24]

I think this video sums up what I dislike about him, and why I don't watch his videos. He's a profoundly pessimistic and negative person. He basically ended that lesson with "if you're at the bottom you're f--cked; end of lesson". Let's just ignore the 1 billion people who left poverty since 1990.

This is why I'll watch a Thiel video over a Peterson video any day.

Both draw attention to the power law, something I believe is very important. But Thiel at least offers advice on how people can counteract it. And actually smiles some times. I get the feeling if I spent too much time around Peterson I'd consider jumping off something tall.

Peterson is passionate about pointing out how 1% in any domain get most of the goods, and how a tiny fraction of a company produces most of the results. I.e. all the "life's so hard" stuff. He doesn't point out that the number of domains are infinite, and that the power law is also the origin of the "your first million is the hardest" effect (as you start to enter the blade of the hockey stick, a slight movement further into the blade produces a large change in results). Just telling people how tough life is, but then giving basic advice like "make your bed", just doesn't cut it.

He at least talked about the churn of the 1%. He could've talked about what usually leads to entry to it. I'm guessing he didn't because he doesn't really care -- it's too positive and optimistic a topic.

 

[Kraelog]

I've listened to quite a few of his lectures and I read his book 12 rules. I would say I am a big fan of his work.

As others have said in this thread, most of the information he dispenses in regards to personal development can be seen as self-evident to many of us that are not that young, myself included.

But there is an entire generation of young people, mostly boys, that are lacking strong male role-models in their lives and are feeling lost. Combine this with some of the recent campaigns on 'toxic masculinity' and you have quite a large audience dying for some proper basic guidance in life.

Personally, I am really interested in his views on religion. He sees religion as the crystallization of the hero-worship mythology whereby the higher being, in essence, is the representation of the perfect being. All religious and mythological stories are then collections of wisdom and guidance towards the perfect hero which have been developed from the Neolithicum to today. In our Western society, we have largely discarded these collections of guidance with total freedom and this might have perilous consequences.

 

[AllenCrawley]

Yes, I am fan.

 

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[NanoDrake]

I like Jordan Peterson, the book was challenging to finish though and I agree with others about the heaviness.

I found the last two rules very powerfully explained (Rule 11o not bother children when skateboarding explanation was eye opening in some ways). For someone not to familiar with Dostoevsky, political thinking and Jungian psychology, it can be much more interesting in my opinion.

Man, after the book I will ever never eat a lobster roll anymore

 

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[S.Y.]

Man, after the book I will ever never eat a lobster roll anymore

Will you stand up straight with your shoulders back tho?

 

[NanoDrake]

I like JP. Read 12 rules not so long ago.

I like his basic message of responsibility. There is a bit of a cultish following appearing though. Not sure what to make of that. I see it putting people off of him a bit.

On the religious side of things, I'm not christian, but I appreciate his take on the stories: moral, archetypal lessons. Stories we crafted by watching ourselves and learning from that. I think his focus on these stories comes from the fact that they have survived for so long, and so there comes the notion that perhaps they contain something of value, even if not exactly what fundamentalists would have you believe.

I think you made a great point here and there are couple of videos of him lecturing a class about the stories of religion and their true meaning, even atheist thinkers used them to extract their theories.

With regards of the cult, I'm observing something like that and I can only say that is history repeating itself.
Peterson gave structure to a bunch of men that were kinda "lost"
Straighted them up, gave them couple of slaps in the face and have a structure for their daily life so they are no longer "useless" -
There will be who follow him everywhere even he would say "now drink this poison" and there will be people that will appreciate his knowledge but move away the second he becomes some cult leader (i'm in the 2nd group)

 

[garyfritz]

I don't agree with everything he says, but I have to give him major Fastlane props. In addition to writing books, speaking fees, etc, his fans also support him with a Patreon account. His Patreon earnings doubled from $30k / month to $60k / month (!!) between April and October last year, and I assume they've continued to grow. Obviously a lot of people feel he's providing major value.