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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
I cannot recommend this book. There are some useful tips, but they were buried in chapters that ran 2-3 times as long as they should have. The most engaging passages were Peterson's examples from his psychoanalytic patients. The author went off on tangents that amounted to Bible Study, and frequently ranted about pet peeves. More than once, I wondered 30 minutes into a chapter when anything relevant to the chapter title would be said. I wasn't previously aware of the personal controversy Peterson mentions in the introduction. Partway through the book, I researched that. His conservative gender bias and virulent hatred of Marxism (which he thinks is the source of all progressive movements) occasionally take center stage in the commentary.
If you scanned the table of contents, you’ve got the gist of the book-minus the overly preachy, verbose chapters. Based on sound philosophical ideas and touched lightly in each chapter using strong psychological examples, the rest of the text reads like Peterson is on the pulpit. I’m certainly not averse to religious texts, but not when written in a condescending tone.
Alright. Cards on the table: I already didn't like Jordan Peterson after watching several of his lectures at the request of my brothers so I'm not a neutral party. That being said, I have some actual complaints.
So the thing is that what Jordan Peterson lays down as his essential rules for life (in particular, don't let people talk down to you, don't talk down to yourself, get your shit together before you get mad at the world, appreciate the small things, etc.) are not new advice. Of course, I don't think that discounts the book entirely. Sometimes advice isn't new because the old advice is fine, even good! I also think sometimes people need good advice to be repeated often. Further, I think some good advice must just be repeatedly presented in different ways so that, eventually, one of those ways gets through their doughy brain and they actually internalize it.
I just don't like how Peterson presents those ideas. I resent that the length of the chapters obscures their meaning (on audiobook, each is about 90 minutes long and consists of 10 minutes of presenting the idea and 80 minutes of meandering stories that sort of relate if you squint and turn your head to the side. The book desperately needs an editor with a pair of gardening shears.) I resent that half the book is based on The Bible (if you didn't grow up hearing the stories, aren't invested in its messages, and on the whole are not impressed that rules for how you should live your life that were put down 2000 years ago should be followed, you might agree with me.) I resent that the heterosexual nuclear family is presented as the ideal of civilization and that no other way of living is thought to be appropriate.
The thing that frustrates me most is that people who I have seen who love Peterson, and Peterson himself on occasion, seem to think that his bible-thumping family-matters philosophy of life is new and exciting. It's not! It's old! It's the status quo, and we can do better.
So the thing is that what Jordan Peterson lays down as his essential rules for life (in particular, don't let people talk down to you, don't talk down to yourself, get your shit together before you get mad at the world, appreciate the small things, etc.) are not new advice. Of course, I don't think that discounts the book entirely. Sometimes advice isn't new because the old advice is fine, even good! I also think sometimes people need good advice to be repeated often. Further, I think some good advice must just be repeatedly presented in different ways so that, eventually, one of those ways gets through their doughy brain and they actually internalize it.
I just don't like how Peterson presents those ideas. I resent that the length of the chapters obscures their meaning (on audiobook, each is about 90 minutes long and consists of 10 minutes of presenting the idea and 80 minutes of meandering stories that sort of relate if you squint and turn your head to the side. The book desperately needs an editor with a pair of gardening shears.) I resent that half the book is based on The Bible (if you didn't grow up hearing the stories, aren't invested in its messages, and on the whole are not impressed that rules for how you should live your life that were put down 2000 years ago should be followed, you might agree with me.) I resent that the heterosexual nuclear family is presented as the ideal of civilization and that no other way of living is thought to be appropriate.
The thing that frustrates me most is that people who I have seen who love Peterson, and Peterson himself on occasion, seem to think that his bible-thumping family-matters philosophy of life is new and exciting. It's not! It's old! It's the status quo, and we can do better.
I can't say that I fully disliked this book. If nothing else, Jordan Peterson has taken some sound pieces of wisdom from various places and put it in one book. Some of these pieces of wisdom are woefully forgotten, and indeed worth being resurrected. Taking the 12 rules as one-liners is a pretty good start and, honestly, they each probably need little explanation.
Where I kept getting lost was his explanation of each rule. While a couple of chapters, on the whole, were decent enough in explaining their respective rules, others (most, I would argue) seemed to be so excessive that, many times, I had to flip back to the first page of the chapter to remind myself of what rule I was supposed to be learning.
Peterson makes HEAVY use of the Bible, which I was not expecting when I decided to read this. He peppers in references to philosophers (ok, I don't know enough philosophy to contradict him), as well as personal stories (also fine, though some are flat out weird). He speaks much less about actual psychology research (which I WAS hoping for). However, it was the extensive, ad nauseam Bible study that lost me. I definitely have friends of faith who could provide a more coherent interpretation of their Holy texts.
I can see why he has earned the love of mostly men, as this book is primarily speaking to them. This is not totally unimportant, as I do believe that men should not be left behind while women advance toward greater equality in the world. *Edit* However, when he states he believes the patriarchy is actually helpful to women, well, there is a lot wrong with this…
So, overall, in a perverse way, I'm glad I stuck it out with this one, for two reasons:
1. I can say I read this, and therefore have more grounds of being critical of his work.
2. If I ever meet someone else who read this book, and they feel it is the best book ever, I will know to be more suspect about other things that come from that persons' mouth.
February 2022 - I have edited this review slightly. I previously focused on how bad his view of the patriarchy being “good for women” would mainly affect women in “non-Western” countries. However, after 2.5 years of further learning, changing and growing, as well as seeing increasing backslides on attitudes and legislation related to women’s rights in “Western” societies, I’m going to say it’s a bad view anywhere for women, both cis and trans.
Where I kept getting lost was his explanation of each rule. While a couple of chapters, on the whole, were decent enough in explaining their respective rules, others (most, I would argue) seemed to be so excessive that, many times, I had to flip back to the first page of the chapter to remind myself of what rule I was supposed to be learning.
Peterson makes HEAVY use of the Bible, which I was not expecting when I decided to read this. He peppers in references to philosophers (ok, I don't know enough philosophy to contradict him), as well as personal stories (also fine, though some are flat out weird). He speaks much less about actual psychology research (which I WAS hoping for). However, it was the extensive, ad nauseam Bible study that lost me. I definitely have friends of faith who could provide a more coherent interpretation of their Holy texts.
I can see why he has earned the love of mostly men, as this book is primarily speaking to them. This is not totally unimportant, as I do believe that men should not be left behind while women advance toward greater equality in the world. *Edit* However, when he states he believes the patriarchy is actually helpful to women, well, there is a lot wrong with this…
So, overall, in a perverse way, I'm glad I stuck it out with this one, for two reasons:
1. I can say I read this, and therefore have more grounds of being critical of his work.
2. If I ever meet someone else who read this book, and they feel it is the best book ever, I will know to be more suspect about other things that come from that persons' mouth.
February 2022 - I have edited this review slightly. I previously focused on how bad his view of the patriarchy being “good for women” would mainly affect women in “non-Western” countries. However, after 2.5 years of further learning, changing and growing, as well as seeing increasing backslides on attitudes and legislation related to women’s rights in “Western” societies, I’m going to say it’s a bad view anywhere for women, both cis and trans.
informative
Help me know what I already knew
At first this book was so deep I had a hard time comprehending it. Once I let the Rules sink it, the book was brilliant. A bit rough in some examples. But once again given time to contemplate, very brilliant. Want to make a better life? Add the philosophies of this book.
At first this book was so deep I had a hard time comprehending it. Once I let the Rules sink it, the book was brilliant. A bit rough in some examples. But once again given time to contemplate, very brilliant. Want to make a better life? Add the philosophies of this book.
reflective
slow-paced
The author had some good things to say, but man this book is so long winded. I feel that the message could have still been relayed even if the book was more condensed. Not gonna lie, I couldn’t finish this book. 70% in and I couldn’t take it anymore.