Jordan Peterson was praised and damned by many of earth dwellers. For some, he was the man who stood up for free speech when Toronto wanted to implement the preferred gender pronoun law, where you were obligated by the law to call someone by their chosen pronouns. For others, he was an utter bigot, a man who stood in the way of the LGBTQ+ community and hindered them from having a law that gives them more legal comfort in their own identity.
Away from biased interpretations of politically infected people, let's take a look at the exact words the so-called Lobsterman said.
In an interview with CBC News, Peterson was asked, "Why are you against the use of alternate pronouns?" to which he responded with, "I'm against the legislation to determine what words that myself and other people are required to utter."
From that same interview when the host asked if he would ever call someone by their preferred pronouns, he said "No." And his reasoning behind it was "Because i don't believe that other people have the right to determine what language i use, especially when it's backed by punitive legislation. And when the words that are being required are the artificial constructions of people I regard as radical ideologue whose Viewpoint I do not share."
His statements goes to show that he's against both punitive legislations that limit free speech, and radical ideologues. Pounder that for a moment as we take a step back from this political conundrum and take a look at Peterson's life's work.
He is a clinical psychologist and a professor at the University of Toronto. When dissected and understood, his ambiguous lectures serve to be educational, enlightening and almost always painted with one theme, "purpose and meaning." He usually advocates for young people, men specifically to take ahold of their lives, to find meaning and claim the responsibilities to live a fulfilling life. To sacrifice the comfort of potential and safety, for the reality of responsibility and meaning.
He wrote many books, two of them are "12 rules for life: an antidote to chaos." and the other is more of a sequel, which is "Beyond order: 12 more rules for life." Both of which are regarded as the Bibles of young men, where they provide tangible life advice through essays in abstract ethical principles, psychology, mythology, religion, and personal anecdotes. Peterson often voices the lessons in his books in his lectures at the University, and at the stage.
In a way we can summarize his life's work and say that his goal is to help aimless lost people to find meaning in life.
We took a short look at what brought him to fame, and an even shorter preview to his life's work. Both of which need thorough research, reading and understanding in order to fully comprehend the motives and goals behind them.
The only undebatable fact about Jordan, is that the man is the embodiment of controversy. So i leave you to pounder the questions: is he the last line of defense, advocating for free speech? Or is he the manifestation of oppression that he claims to stand against? Is he the messiah for modern men, leading them towards meaning and peace? Or is he the big bad bully in a lobster tie?
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