Jordan Peterson is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. Through his academic work, YouTube videos and bestselling books 12 Rules for Life and Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, Peterson has arguably become one of the most influential public intellectuals of the modern era. His lectures, talks and writings aim to help individuals find purpose and meaning in their lives through taking responsibility for themselves and facing life’s difficulties head-on.
At the core of Peterson’s philosophy is the belief that life is fundamentally difficult and that facing and overcoming adversity is what gives life meaning. He argues that for most of history, humans lived very close to the edge of catastrophe. Daily life was a struggle, and avoiding disaster required constant vigilance, courage and competent action. When life feels overwhelmingly difficult and meaningless, it is often because one has lost touch with the reality that hard times are inevitable, but can be endured and overcome. According to Peterson, developing self-discipline, purpose and facing hard truths courageously are what allow people to find significance even in suffering.
Central to Peterson’s views on self-help is identifying and pursuing what he calls “the hero’s journey.” He draws from insights in mythology, religion and stories from around the world to outline a common pattern of a hero departing from the ordinary world on an adventure, facing trials and tribulations, and bringing back wisdom or treasure to transform their society. Peterson believes that consciously seeking out difficulties and bringing back lessons learned is what gives life profound significance. He advises sorting oneself out, pursuing truth no matter where it leads, and being willing to sacrifice for noble goals and ideals. For Peterson, having the courage and competence to complete the hero’s journey is the surest way for a person to find meaning through taking responsibility for one’s life and bettering oneself despite hardships.
One of Peterson’s most important rules is “Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.” He argues that the vast majority of people have not taken full responsibility for managing their own lives and emotions, yet are constantly bringing up societal problems as excuses. For Peterson, the proper goal is not complaining about injustice but perfecting oneself – getting one’s own psychological, emotional, intellectual and physical house in order through discipline and competence. Only then does one have the wisdom and credibility to constructively critique societal issues. He advocates starting from fixing and improving what little realm is under one’s control before condemning problems beyond individual reach.
Another crucial theme in Peterson’s work is the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths instead of seeking safety and comfort. He emphasizes how vital it is to face reality as it is, not how one wishes it to be. This applies to everything from scrutinizing one’s own beliefs and weaknesses to addressing societal issues like inequality, lack of opportunity and unbalanced power structures. For Peterson, the cowardly refusal to encounter hard truths and inconvenient facts has caused more harm than almost any other ideological sin. Only by staring down reality, willing to alter viewpoints no matter the discomfort, can real solutions emerge. He criticizes those who avoid responsibility through constantly blaming others or societal forces beyond individual control.
Through vivid storytelling and analyses of literature, religion and mythology, Peterson aims to depict how facing life’s difficulties gives existence profound meaning. His work underscores how embracing adversity through competence, courage and clear vision allows one to discover purpose and become a wiser, more mature person. Rather than seeking safety, comfort or blaming others, he advocates confronting inconvenient realities, taking responsibility for oneself and continually struggling to improve despite inevitable setbacks and suffering. Peterson’s influential philosophy emphasizes finding significance through embarking on the heroic journey of facing life’s travails and bringing back lessons to transform oneself and society for the better.
Does Peterson’s philosophy on meaning, self-help and confronting difficulties provide a compelling template for living life to its fullest potential? Or does it excessively romanticize struggle at the cost of empathy? There are reasonable critiques on both sides of this debate. On one hand, voluntarily seeking out challenges, taking responsibility for oneself, and being willing to alter beliefs no matter the discomfort cultivates strength, wisdom and allows for positive societal change. Aspects of Peterson’s views could be accused of minimizing societal factors like inequality of opportunity, systemic injustice and the very real toll of suffering caused by circumstances beyond individual control. His emphasis on the importance of struggle may strike some as lacking sufficient compassion.
Undoubtedly, Peterson raises profound questions about how to find purpose and meaning even in the midst of unavoidable trials. His advocacy for competence, courage and confronting inconvenient truths, rather than resentment or victimhood, provides a provocative template for approaching difficulties in a way that cultivates inner growth and contributions to community. Without sufficient attention to societal context and empathy for those suffering under conditions not always of their making, aspects of his philosophy risk coming across as overly individualistic. A balanced approach would do well incorporating Peterson’s emphasis on responsibility while maintaining sensitivity to mitigating societal hardships and supporting those dealing with misfortune through no major fault of their own. Overall, Peterson’s framework contributes much to discussions on bettering oneself and society through facing life’s difficulties competently and with open eyes, even if the full complexity of individual agency within wider contexts deserves more consideration.
Through compelling storytelling and analysis, Jordan Peterson offers a thought-provoking perspective on how to find purpose and meaning in life by consciously embarking on the hero’s journey of facing difficulties with courage, competence and responsibility. His emphasis on setting one’s psychological house in order before criticizing broader societal issues, as well as confronting hard truths no matter the discomfort, provides a template for self-improvement that cultivates inner strength and wisdom. His philosophy risks underemphasizing societal factors like inequality of opportunity and emphasizes struggle in a way that could come across as lacking compassion. Overall, Peterson raises timeless questions about how facing adversity can transform lives and communities for the better when approached voluntarily with open and disciplined eyes. A balanced incorporation of his perspective while maintaining empathy for societal context and those suffering through no major fault of their own could provide one framework for navigating life’s difficulties in a growth-oriented way.
Andrew Stroud