Jordan Peterson and the transgender wars | Hacker News Reader

Jordan Peterson and the transgender wars

life.spectator.co.uk

18 pointsmpweiher5 comments

I'm somewhat fascinated by Peterson, but also somewhat wary. Many of what he says is well reasoned, often backed by research, and not an affront to common sense. This is not what you would expect when you look at the people who sometimes cheer him up online.

At the same time, after watching a few of his videos (mostly excerpts reposted by fans), I think he might be more conservative than I initially realized.

What really bothers me, though, is that he isn't vocal enough in condemning conservative abuses. As a result, his followers sure believes what he says (which is fairly reasonable), but then a good deal besides, which isn't. It's really hard to bite the hand that feeds/supports you.

But social justice debates aside, Peterson has some really interesting ideas on stuff, that are worth listening to if only to hear a well-informed opinion for once, whether you end up agreeing or disagreeing with him.

The weird tonal shift from "look at my science credentials" at the start of this article to Jungian Christian cultiness by the end was like something from a Chuck Palahniuk novel.

If you find Peterson interesting, it's worth listening to his two interviews with Sam Harris on Harris's podcast. The first is so hilarious (in a bad way, albeit) that it'll make you want to punch your own face - esp. the part where Peterson won't admit something is "true" if it leads to the extinction of the human race.

it was a bad interview and Peterson's cantankerousness got the better of him during that segment. The second interview is more worthwhile, and the two of them have an interesting discussion about what sorts of concepts they respectively like to address with the notion of "truth". Peterson is not anti-evidence or anti-rationalist at all, but he does more broadly include psychological and archetypal patterns as truths.

The best interview I've heard with him was on The Duncan Trussell Family Hour[1]. I haven't heard the Sam Harris interview but I could see it being frustrating. I think Peterson is at his best when he can speak in — and about — metaphor. Sam's podcast doesn't seem like an ideal place for that.

[1] http://www.duncantrussell.com/episodes/2017/1/15/jordan-b-pe...

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