Thread: Dr. Jordan Peterson

Can someone please tell me:

Why is it that presentations (of Dr. Peterson's) that I understand the LEAST,, are the ones that I need the most.

I believe that this is a true statement. BUT is it?

LINK: https://youtu.be/l7ufIBRZRKk

This is a debate based on what has been discussed by many civilization. This debate on this topic follows two train of thoughts often: Men are inherently evil, but can choose to do good. Or, men are inherently good, but can choose to do evil. My opinion is that no one is inherently anything but a blank slate when they are born. Which is why people try to teach kids as soon they start talking and walking with their building blocks of their world view. Furthermore, you can dynamically change between the states you choose to be in which is why no one every really stays the same.

Men that make poor choices throughout life are stuck with stupid prizes. Men that make good choices throughout life are always rewarded or in position to take advantage of said rewards.

I like where you lead the discussion, thanks. I like your choice of words too (using the term good, not correct.)

So, are we just animals (of higher intelligence) and thus give ourselves greater training (degrees & types of training) than other species do?

And does mysticism & religion (every culture has one or more) fall into the category of "training"



p.s. my original question was along the lines of: how can he equal brutal horrors of Governmental systems (torture, imprisonment, starvation, mass death, genocide) to an individual's personal behavior towards his own offspring.... and is this question in line with what Dr Peterson is saying?

Animals are known to have their own culture but humans have the most organized cultural structures and traditions that is passed onto each successive generation. Mysticism and religion fall into culture and traditions that are passed on from elders to young children and the cycle continues along with the circle of life.

I don't think he is equating perse, but you are correct that Peterson's analogy falls apart when he compares mass scale atrocities to more personal choices made between family and friends. But his world view as stardusk pointed out is firmly based on Christian mindset where all sin is unacceptable whether small or big. Or, committed by one person or an entire country.

This is why analogies often have to be made using the most like categories (eg apple vs orange). To use my own analogy Peterson compared a tomato to an apple. Technically a tomato is a fruit like an apple, but a tomato doesn't share that many characteristics of an apple.