Stand up straight, with your shoulders back
Book Review: 12 Rules for Life – An Antidote to Chaos, by Dr Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian psychologist who has spent 30 years listening to his clinical patients, and lecturing at several North American universities, including Harvard. He has written a magnificent book to try and give us the lessons of his experience with people.
Chapter One is entitled ‘Stand up straight with your shoulders back’. It talks about our shared DNA with lobsters, who 350 million ago would square up to each other for territorial and group dominance. Those who won would stand taller. The hierarchy that Peterson describes is thus older than trees have existed. Those who argue that there is a patriarchal hierarchy in the West based on power, are wrong. A few billionaires are not a representative microcosm of how Western society functions.
Peterson argues that the idea that Western society is a male dominated patriarchy is a myth. The basis of any hierarchy we have is not power, it is competence. Western culture is the least tyrannical society that’s ever been produced.
Men account for most people in prison, most of the people who are homeless are men. Men are doing most of the dangerous jobs. They are more likely to commit suicide, be unemployed, struggle with depression and with mental illness, die in wars, and be addicted to drugs and abuse alcohol. Men are more likely to be the victims of violent crimes, and men generally do worse in school. Where is the dominance here, precisely? We don’t talk about equality in those areas.
He has some great examples. In every single law firm on earth, in every accounting firm, consulting firm, 80% of the revenues are generated by 20% of the partners / employees. And this isn’t just in the human field. 80% of the mass of celestial spheres is accounted for by very, very few planets. Most public classical music concerts performed are of works by only four composers, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Most of the world’s population live in very few cities. This reinforces his point about hierarchies not being a social construct. It is a part of being.
In some cultures, and in village or religious traditions, male patriarchy is evident. But overcoming this through empowering women by education, seeds and micro-funding raises the floor – economic, health, social – of the village every time. It is the only way to eradicate poverty.
It is a compelling book. Other chapter headings are, “Make friends who want the best for you” and “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today”. Peterson has embarked on a world tour and has spoken in over 200 cities, covering each of his chapters and these events have been a massive hit, spawning podcasts, YouTube videos and a new book is coming out called ‘12 More Rules’.
One of the most arresting aspects of his message is that confidence can be generated in both men and women, from within. The point is to engage forthrightly with the world and to avoid the terrible trinity – deceit, arrogance and resentment, to chase those out of your life. There is always the grace and obligation to help those less able to help themselves. Peterson is firmly in the Judaeo-Christian tradition, and has spoken eloquently on the stories of Cane and Abel and the injunction to treat others as you yourself would like to be treated.
A brilliant read, and highly recommended.
By James Neophytou
