Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson
3 reviews
logantmartin's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
When I found out that this audiobook was read by the author, I almost called it quits. This was supposed to be a hate-listen, and I feared that hearing Dr. Jordan B. Peterson read his own thoughts aloud to me would be a bridge too far. I was only doing this to appease my friend's fiancé, who is a fascist; was it really worth 15 hours of Peterson's Muppet voice ringing in my ears just to be able to tell him his idol was wrong about trans people?
At first, the answer was no. During the first two chapters I got whiplash: what do lobster hierarchies have to do with standing up straight? Am I going to become a school shooter because I believe that maybe some people should have some rights? I couldn't go on; I took a break and used my Spotify credits to listen to a shitty romance novel at 1.5x speed.
But then I got into Susan Sontag. Reading her essays helped me appreciate art in any number of ways, but I had a very specific revelation that made me rush back to this book: Jordan Peterson is camp. I finally got it all, like when you see the old lady in the drawing after spending so long only seeing the rabbit. The whiny voice, the obsession with communism, the crying (yes, that is relevant to this review of an audiobook); his fans love him, not despite these qualities, but because of them. Camp appreciation rewards character, and Peterson is easily the most characteristical public intellectual out there.
Art is camp if it is exaggerated, flamboyant, "too much." Peterson's prose is an assault on the senses, violating the concept of restraint. It isn't enough to say that you should first look inward for the solutions to your problems; you must set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world. In a sense, Peterson would be nobody without camp hyperbole. His rise to fame was propelled by a fit that reads like a DCCC fundraising email: "Does Logan want to be ARRESTED for misgendering???"
Camp is about reckless abandon; it is the only art style with no concern for itself as art. The reader gets the sense that Peterson wrote this book all in one sitting. There is very little connection between the title and the content of each chapter. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that his rules are sound advice, but they are also extremely self-evident, so he has to beef up the chapters with his signature blend of commentary on the story of Adam and Eve, popularly known psychology experiments and texts, and right-wing bullshit.
But the most important quality of camp is a lack of self-awareness, and there is simply no one on the planet who compares to Jordan Peterson in this area. If he is at all conscious of how off-put the listener might be at hearing him cry while reading his audiobook, he does not give any indication. The same goes with how hard he goes in favor of social hierarchies; the standard conservative argument is that patriarchy and racism don't exist, so it's deeply strange for Peterson to say that they do exist, but that they are actually very good. These are signs of a man who is utterly oblivious to the way he comes off to people, to hilarious effect.
The cherry on top is, of course, that this is a book with a message. If Mommie Dearest and Dear Evan Hansen have taught us anything, it's that camp is at its best when it is driven toward a purpose, one that it pursues at the cost of form. Jordan Peterson wants to give you some advice. But much more than that, he wants you to take his advice, the advice he's concocted by trawling through obscure ancient texts like the book of Genesis. And at the end of the day, you probably will; it's good advice. There's absolutely no synthesis between the ideas presented, nor is there any connection with the broader thesis, but you've gotten good advice.
The thing that neither Peterson nor his fans nor his critics seem to understand is that this is a good book, not because of the content but because of the form: the reader is not meant to replicate the exhausting mental gymnastics Peterson performs in this book. The audience should simply observe, finding entertainment in the cacophony as such rather than trying to discern a symphony.
At first, the answer was no. During the first two chapters I got whiplash: what do lobster hierarchies have to do with standing up straight? Am I going to become a school shooter because I believe that maybe some people should have some rights? I couldn't go on; I took a break and used my Spotify credits to listen to a shitty romance novel at 1.5x speed.
But then I got into Susan Sontag. Reading her essays helped me appreciate art in any number of ways, but I had a very specific revelation that made me rush back to this book: Jordan Peterson is camp. I finally got it all, like when you see the old lady in the drawing after spending so long only seeing the rabbit. The whiny voice, the obsession with communism, the crying (yes, that is relevant to this review of an audiobook); his fans love him, not despite these qualities, but because of them. Camp appreciation rewards character, and Peterson is easily the most characteristical public intellectual out there.
Art is camp if it is exaggerated, flamboyant, "too much." Peterson's prose is an assault on the senses, violating the concept of restraint. It isn't enough to say that you should first look inward for the solutions to your problems; you must set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world. In a sense, Peterson would be nobody without camp hyperbole. His rise to fame was propelled by a fit that reads like a DCCC fundraising email: "Does Logan want to be ARRESTED for misgendering???"
Camp is about reckless abandon; it is the only art style with no concern for itself as art. The reader gets the sense that Peterson wrote this book all in one sitting. There is very little connection between the title and the content of each chapter. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that his rules are sound advice, but they are also extremely self-evident, so he has to beef up the chapters with his signature blend of commentary on the story of Adam and Eve, popularly known psychology experiments and texts, and right-wing bullshit.
But the most important quality of camp is a lack of self-awareness, and there is simply no one on the planet who compares to Jordan Peterson in this area. If he is at all conscious of how off-put the listener might be at hearing him cry while reading his audiobook, he does not give any indication. The same goes with how hard he goes in favor of social hierarchies; the standard conservative argument is that patriarchy and racism don't exist, so it's deeply strange for Peterson to say that they do exist, but that they are actually very good. These are signs of a man who is utterly oblivious to the way he comes off to people, to hilarious effect.
The cherry on top is, of course, that this is a book with a message. If Mommie Dearest and Dear Evan Hansen have taught us anything, it's that camp is at its best when it is driven toward a purpose, one that it pursues at the cost of form. Jordan Peterson wants to give you some advice. But much more than that, he wants you to take his advice, the advice he's concocted by trawling through obscure ancient texts like the book of Genesis. And at the end of the day, you probably will; it's good advice. There's absolutely no synthesis between the ideas presented, nor is there any connection with the broader thesis, but you've gotten good advice.
The thing that neither Peterson nor his fans nor his critics seem to understand is that this is a good book, not because of the content but because of the form: the reader is not meant to replicate the exhausting mental gymnastics Peterson performs in this book. The audience should simply observe, finding entertainment in the cacophony as such rather than trying to discern a symphony.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Transphobia
shibaunited's review
tense
slow-paced
1.0
I genuinely tried to find substance in this book that was beneficial but all I found was an over bloated academic without understanding of life for those without his specific and many privileges, who spent nearly 400 pages making wild unfounded claims, quoting the bible, and blaming women for the faults and problems of men's lives.
He regularly makes a claim that blames others for the struggles of men. Rather than their own life choices causing their struggle. Rather than realizing the relationships between two things are not necessarily causal. And could very possibly be evidence of patriarchy rather than oppression of men by women in social structure
For example, fact: there are fewer men in humanities studies than STEM courses.
Peterson claims this is because more women going to college and choosing humanities courses means there is less room for men in those courses. It doesnt consider: men may see humanities as feminine and choose "masculine" courses in STEM. Or : men know that STEM careers pay more and choose those. Or : Men appear to study STEM in larger proportions because STEM is still largely a "boys club" field where women are less welcome. Due to this women may be less likely to choose STEM. But to say women are pushing men out of humanities is an absurd and lazy argument.
The final straw for me is claiming patriarchy isnt real because men created some menstrual products?! What!? Boy bye. Go touch grass and experience or learn about life outside of your university.
I might argue taking this book at face value without pausing and considering the points from various viewpoints is potentially dangerous to those looking for meaning or answers in a time of struggle.
He regularly makes a claim that blames others for the struggles of men. Rather than their own life choices causing their struggle. Rather than realizing the relationships between two things are not necessarily causal. And could very possibly be evidence of patriarchy rather than oppression of men by women in social structure
For example, fact: there are fewer men in humanities studies than STEM courses.
Peterson claims this is because more women going to college and choosing humanities courses means there is less room for men in those courses. It doesnt consider: men may see humanities as feminine and choose "masculine" courses in STEM. Or : men know that STEM careers pay more and choose those. Or : Men appear to study STEM in larger proportions because STEM is still largely a "boys club" field where women are less welcome. Due to this women may be less likely to choose STEM. But to say women are pushing men out of humanities is an absurd and lazy argument.
The final straw for me is claiming patriarchy isnt real because men created some menstrual products?! What!? Boy bye. Go touch grass and experience or learn about life outside of your university.
I might argue taking this book at face value without pausing and considering the points from various viewpoints is potentially dangerous to those looking for meaning or answers in a time of struggle.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Antisemitism, Bullying, Ableism, Abortion, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Classism, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Genocide, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
Probably best to skip this one. Any wisdom you hope may be inside does not exist.mjspice's review
No thank you
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Racism, Misogyny, Ableism, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Islamophobia
More...