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The problem with Peterson is that he makes preposterous truth-claims: based on his stylised readings of Western mythology, his understanding of humans as necess

The problem with Peterson is that he makes preposterous truth-claims: based on his stylised readings of Western mythology, his understanding of humans as necessarily and essentially hierarchical, and various sub-scientific claims - e.g., about lobsters - that are dressed up as something their not. All in the service of something which is knowingly reactionary, to row back on progressive social moores and the gains of feminism. Obviously he also occasionally says some things which are true and interesting, but he is not a reliable intellectual authority. He's also just a bit of an oddball. He lives in a house full of socialist realist paintings, his diet is based on absurdist nutritional science - he only eats beef and salt - and some of the things he says are just plain weird.

p2detar 8y ago
> but he is not a reliable intellectual authority. I don't believe he ever claims the opposite. In fact he urges the reader to check his sources. All 220 papers and books he read before producing his work are listed in the endnotes. > He's also just a bit of an oddball. The problem with this type of statements are that now I'll say "No, he isn't an oddball" and this will get us nowhere. Can you understand that?
- zimpenfish 8y ago
  > "No, he isn't an oddball" His (alleged[1]) diet alone would paint him thoroughly as "oddball", surely. [1] I don't for one second believe he eats only beef, salt, and water.
  - randomacct3847 8y ago
    It isn’t that strange. It’s basically keto, which has become almost mainstream. For the record, I’ve tried the “zero carb” diet (basically meat) and it’s not that hard once you treat food as purely as something functional like a vitamin rather than a source of pleasure.
    - Matticus_Rex 8y ago
      While he's likely in ketosis, pretty much any keto advocate would be shocked at his (again, alleged) diet.
      - p2detar 8y ago
        As far as I know, Peterson's diet is actually his daughter's diet [1]. She claims it cured her from numerous diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and depression [2]. I have no idea how credible that is, but I'm just saying it isn't something he decided on a random basis just to look cool. 1 - http://mikhailapeterson.com http://mikhailapeterson.com 2 - http://mikhailapeterson.com/about-me http://mikhailapeterson.com/about-me
    - dantheman 8y ago
      keto is about high fat and entering ketosis; if you eat just meat you'll have enough protien that through gluconeogenesis it will be converted into glucose and it will knock you out of ketosis.
geowwy 8y ago
The way he rationalises his advice is pretty whacky. But the advice itself is what he found works in his experience as a clinical psychologist, and it seems to ring true with most people who read it. As far as self help books go 12 Rules is not bad at all.

p2detar 8y ago

> but he is not a reliable intellectual authority. I don't believe he ever claims the opposite. In fact he urges the reader to check his sources. All 220 papers and books he read before producing his work are listed in the endnotes. > He's also just a bit of an oddball. The problem with this type of statements are that now I'll say "No, he isn't an oddball" and this will get us nowhere. Can you understand that?

zimpenfish 8y ago
> "No, he isn't an oddball" His (alleged[1]) diet alone would paint him thoroughly as "oddball", surely. [1] I don't for one second believe he eats only beef, salt, and water.
- randomacct3847 8y ago
  It isn’t that strange. It’s basically keto, which has become almost mainstream. For the record, I’ve tried the “zero carb” diet (basically meat) and it’s not that hard once you treat food as purely as something functional like a vitamin rather than a source of pleasure.
  - Matticus_Rex 8y ago
    While he's likely in ketosis, pretty much any keto advocate would be shocked at his (again, alleged) diet.
    - p2detar 8y ago
      As far as I know, Peterson's diet is actually his daughter's diet [1]. She claims it cured her from numerous diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and depression [2]. I have no idea how credible that is, but I'm just saying it isn't something he decided on a random basis just to look cool. 1 - http://mikhailapeterson.com http://mikhailapeterson.com 2 - http://mikhailapeterson.com/about-me http://mikhailapeterson.com/about-me
  - dantheman 8y ago
    keto is about high fat and entering ketosis; if you eat just meat you'll have enough protien that through gluconeogenesis it will be converted into glucose and it will knock you out of ketosis.

geowwy 8y ago

The way he rationalises his advice is pretty whacky. But the advice itself is what he found works in his experience as a clinical psychologist, and it seems to ring true with most people who read it. As far as self help books go 12 Rules is not bad at all.