Reviews: 12 Rules for Life (29)

This is a dense book. Not because it is boring - no, if you read it carefully, and with an open mind* - I find it hard to believe you will be bored. You must be willing to challenge yourself, to pay attention - and to think and consider every sentence. There is so much to take apart and digest, and though the category of self-help seems inaccurate to me (philosophy seems more apt, but it's a very hard book to summarise and categorise), I can’t deny that reading this book as it meant to be read will be profoundly useful.

Dr. Peterson’s combination of clinical psychology, evolutionary biology, religious knowledge, life experience and wisdom make for an incredibly profound read, albeit a difficult one. The essays following each rule often seem unrelated (though fascinating), but by the end of the chapter he ties it back satisfactorily and skilfully. He dissects every part of his thinking behind each rule, taking you on a stimulating journey. They end so that you feel triumphant, a little bit stronger to take on the world, a little bit braver, than you were before.

It is hard hitting. Some things he state you wish weren’t true, because they mean that you’re flawed and weaker and more pathetic than you want to admit - but you know deep down they are true. But then he brings your hopes up - reminding you of your potential and your complexity as a human being and that it’s possible to overcome them. After you feel slapped in the face, you feel encouraged. Certain sentences stay with you long after reading - ‘And if you think tough men are dangerous, wait until what you see what weak men are capable of.’ from Rule 11 comes to mind - I know this is true, it struck me when i read it - but it has never been articulated like this before. And there are many more just like this.

It is no surprise that Dr. Peterson is popular with young men (and believe me, even as a young woman, I can see that this is a good thing). Peterson’s messages? Strengthen the individual. Don’t immerse yourself in any ideology blindly. (left or right or anything else). Listen openly. Face the world, but have humility. Do what you know is right, what is good for you and those around you in the long term. Just to name a few. It is truly a sad indictment of our times that for this he is consistently labelled controversial.

I’ve tried to consider whether my response to this book would be different had I not been following and been impressed and inspired by Dr. Peterson since about September 2016 (when he was embroiled into the Canadian controversy which brought him to where he is now), and instead, if I had bought the book after seeing THAT Channel 4 interview** alone like several customers I’ve served. Having been familiar with his ideas for a while, eagerly absorbing his free Youtube content, it was extremely useful for me to have much more context and contemplation behind his ideas. I think the experience would have been similar were I a newcomer to his work, but I reiterate it is not a book you can just breeze through and think you understand. You must try.

I cannot recommend this book enough, though I fear both it and Dr. Peterson have not been dealt a fair shake, at least by the media.



*This is particularly important. Militant atheists will be quick to disregard Dr. Peterson’s entire message when he analyses aspects of the Bible, for instance, where they may disregard the usefulness’ or religious ideas in what they reveal and teach us as human beings. Feminists might not like Rule 11 (it was one of my favourites, though).

**Thank you, Cathy Newman, for bringing Dr. Peterson to the mainstream!

(I feel it’d be amiss not to note I’ve been dismayed with the UK press’s (and to a much smaller extent, Waterstones') insistence on his controversy, or that he is deigned bigoted for encouraging and appealing to young men. Especially as a young woman of an ethnic and religious minority to whom he has helped immensely - we must give up on the identity politics game. It does no one any favours, not even those who benefit from it in the moment. I think that comes to light in many of Peterson’s talks)

The first time I heard of Jordan Peterson was via Sam Harris’s excellent podcast series. Unfortunately the two weren’t able to get to anything meaty, having failed to agree on the definition of truth for 2+ hours.

I duly forgot about Jordan Peterson.

Then he showed up again on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and the ensuing three-hour conversation is one of the most invigorating, interesting and inspiring conversations I’ve come across online.

Now, finally, we have a publication by Peterson that distils his message into 12 pithy rules.

It’s basically: the goal of self-improvement is not to make you feel safer or less anxious. It’s to make you stronger. To make you better able to deal with the world and be a part of it, and not just exist but to thrive. And you don’t do that by seeking to make grief or pain or hurt smaller in your mind, or finding obscure ways to get over it. The goal is enlarge those things, by stepping in to them. By not hiding away from it. Then you make your ability to deal with suffering and cruelty and pain much larger.
He doesn’t want you to sit around stewing about the painful episodes in your life, he just wants you to take an inventory of it. To examine how you dealt with those things then, and what you would do differently now. And next time, you’re armed. You’re a bit stronger than you were last time.

Don't come looking for instructions in here on how to 'make your dreams come true'. There is no wishing in this book. Only deep, excoriating self-examination (if you wish), and action.

Don't sit around wishing for things. TAKE ACTION.

Comes with my highest possible recommendation.

Some of the rules ('Don't Lie, or At Least Tell the Truth' being one) seem a tad obvious at first glance, but Peterson's arguments are so well laid out, and his anecdotes are so memorable and vivid that he provides constant impetus for positive change. We've all been given good advice in our lives which we ignore until we're left with absolutely no choice, but he warns of the perils of procrastination with real persuasion: as he states, we take better care of our pets than we do of our own selves, for reasons harder to fathom than laziness or confusion. It's a fascinating read, even if the chapter doesn't apply to one's own life, one detailing the ways in which parents allow their children to do things that arouse contempt and alienate them from their peer groups.

My one complaint is that he often illustrates his points with more examples than he needs and passages sometimes seem needlessly padded out. For all the controversy Peterson has attracted, particularly from the women's movement, his arguments can be very sympathetic toward women, such as underlining the way in which mothers demand respect from men but raise their sons as though they're the only thing that matters. He inspires men to take control of their destiny and not blame others for their failings, and to invest as much in their children's emotional development as their partners would do. I didn't find anything propagandistic or particularly unfounded in his writing, and his stunning knowledge of psychology, anthropology and religious history is assuring and refreshing when so much advice has a depthless contemporaneity and obsessive attention to single issues.

I read this at the urging of another staff member, & I almost feel like I should bill them for my time. This is a dreadful book. Clumsy self-help clichés battle for space with spurious "folksy" anecdotes, cable channel mysticism & barely literate conservative politics. Peterson is a dull, shallow thinker masquerading as an intellectual, but it's a pretence that doesn't stand up to the most casual critical examination.

Peterson doesn't like women, untidy rooms, new ideas or critical thought. The only things he really seems to like are lobsters.

The author has been rapidly developing a controversial reputation as the bad boy of psychology due to his plain speaking online and in TV interviews. This book does not disappoint in terms of courting further controversy. However beneath the polemics, lies some astute observations and advice based on practical clinical experience and his own life experiences.
Whilst his less than progressive approach to gender equality is likely to enrage many, there is an altogether softer underbelly revealed when he refers to his own family life and the challenges faced by his daughter. Indeed Petersen is at his best when drawing on the many experiences of his patients, family and early childhood.

His discussion of the principle of unequal distribution and hierarchies in nature has provoked the political left, his assertion that the application of market forces to higher education has evoked a similar response in the right. The most consistent approach to his politics however can best be summarised as a vehement opposition to ideology and power seeking ideologues. Discussions around Stalin, Hitler and Mao, have much to offer with respect to current concerns relating to populism and nationalism personified by Trump, Putin, Xi Jinping and Orban.

As an academic, Jordan made his mark via his work Maps of Meaning, in which he explores the role of religion in constructing modern civilisations. This book is similarly replete with Biblical references and some novel interpretation of themes such as original sin.

Jordan has a dark but optimistic view of life. Life (Being) is portrayed as suffering which can only be mitigated by the individual learning to wrestle with and manage their own demons. He adopts the approach of Carl Rogers which advocates listening to (and exposing ourselves to the possibility of being changed by) opposing views and uncomfortable thoughts. Only by acknowledging our vulnerabilities and vices can we improve and grow.

I am at a complete loss to understand the reviews this book has received. My perception of Peterson from his book is a that of an unpleasant individual, lacking any great insight or interest in his arguments. If you are looking for a book that is genuinely original or life enhancing, 12 Rules for Life is definitely not that.

People reviewing this book with one star, accusing J.P. of misogyny etc. have an agenda that has nothing to do with the actual book and more to do with refusing to accept that nature operates in ways that are not affected by our own preferences. Keep an open mind, read the book for yourself and decide for yourself.

This book is at times amusing and insightful, and occasionally heavy, and while you may not agree with every conclusion, the 12 rules are all excellent and force us to re-examine many aspects of our beliefs and attitudes- and priorities, and we all will benefit from that reflection. Jordan is clearly well versed in the latest scientific research, and so it is much more than a personal opinion. And yet he also shares quite a few personal stories, and some of his patients, to help illustrate his points. Well worth the effort of going through all 12 rules and the coda at end

One ofnthr best books out there for making sense of life.

After watching dozens of his YouTube video lectures, I had high expectations of this book. It doesn't disappoint. There is so much wisdom and knowledge here with no ideological baggage or slant. A perfect book for the teenager in your life, or any adult who's going through a tough patch.

Peterson shares decades of careful philosophical reading and research, for the betterment of society.

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