3 ms·

I've listened to a few of his lectures and read a few articles about him and I don't see a difference between what he says and what every other self-help author

I've listened to a few of his lectures and read a few articles about him and I don't see a difference between what he says and what every other self-help author who wants to sell millions of books is saying. It's mostly vague hand-wavy kind of stuff that sounds profound in the moment but later realize it's either blatantly obvious truth dressed up in fancy words or it's nonsense wearing the same clothes. Had he not gained fame and notoriety through his campaign against that Canadian law and political correctness in general, I don't think anyone would have cared about what he has to say. If anyone familiar with his work could point me towards some of it that would dispute that characterization I would be happy to read or listen to it, provided I don't have to pay for it.

rusk 9y ago
I think perhaps check out the Russel Brand "Under the skin" interview - I think that's the closest I've seen to Peterson getting a good stiff interview. You probably know Russell Brand as that guy that was married to Katy Perry but trust me, once you get past his whimsy he's got a razor sharp intellect. On the face of it he embodies much of what Peterson speaks out about, and you'd think they'd be at loggerheads but it was a remarkably enlightening interview.
- wilsonnb 9y ago
  I'm giving it a listen now. I'm only 10 minutes or so into it, but this is a quote (not exact, but close enough) from Jordan Peterson: "(music and cathedrals) are ways of trying to symbolically represent how things could be if they were put in the proper state of balance or harmony" What does that even mean? The only concrete nugget of knowledge I can get from that is that cathedrals are designed in a relatively balanced manner. Symmetrical, I guess. I plan to listen to the rest of this interview but that statement was a particularly good example of the hand-waavy nonsense that I was talking about so I decided to record it here so I didn't forget.
  - rusk 9y ago
    I think Russell has him sized when he opines that he has ”some mischief about him”
  - thinkingemote 9y ago
    I'm guessing here, but here's a go: Symbolically would mean that it represents something to do with the human condition. In the case, I would imagine, he means that the design of cathedrals and great music both tap into some kind of perfect or balanced thing in humans. Such a thing is something to aim for, or towards. Its how we cant write a recipe to how to write great (not just good, but the real stuff that makes your hair stand on end) music - and that sense of awe we feel in a cathedral. And both are man made and not a natural beauty. He has also talked about the cross formation of most churches, but I don't think that quote was about that.

rusk 9y ago

I think perhaps check out the Russel Brand "Under the skin" interview - I think that's the closest I've seen to Peterson getting a good stiff interview. You probably know Russell Brand as that guy that was married to Katy Perry but trust me, once you get past his whimsy he's got a razor sharp intellect. On the face of it he embodies much of what Peterson speaks out about, and you'd think they'd be at loggerheads but it was a remarkably enlightening interview.

wilsonnb 9y ago
I'm giving it a listen now. I'm only 10 minutes or so into it, but this is a quote (not exact, but close enough) from Jordan Peterson: "(music and cathedrals) are ways of trying to symbolically represent how things could be if they were put in the proper state of balance or harmony" What does that even mean? The only concrete nugget of knowledge I can get from that is that cathedrals are designed in a relatively balanced manner. Symmetrical, I guess. I plan to listen to the rest of this interview but that statement was a particularly good example of the hand-waavy nonsense that I was talking about so I decided to record it here so I didn't forget.
- rusk 9y ago
  I think Russell has him sized when he opines that he has ”some mischief about him”
- thinkingemote 9y ago
  I'm guessing here, but here's a go: Symbolically would mean that it represents something to do with the human condition. In the case, I would imagine, he means that the design of cathedrals and great music both tap into some kind of perfect or balanced thing in humans. Such a thing is something to aim for, or towards. Its how we cant write a recipe to how to write great (not just good, but the real stuff that makes your hair stand on end) music - and that sense of awe we feel in a cathedral. And both are man made and not a natural beauty. He has also talked about the cross formation of most churches, but I don't think that quote was about that.