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ladycello 's review for:
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
by Jordan B. Peterson
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.