Jordan Peterson: Truth in the Time of Chaos

2018, Politics  -   37 Comments
7.36
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Ratings: 7.36/10 from 250 users.

A professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, Jordan Peterson set off a firestorm in 2016 when he publicly denounced Canada's Bill C-16, a law that protected gender expression and identity. Protesting the use of special pronouns designed to describe variations of gender, Peterson was catapulted onto the global stage as an immediately polarizing figure. Since that time, as his public profile has widened, he has garnered an international audience of eager disciples and inflamed detractors. Jordan Peterson: Truth in the Time of Chaos offers an in-depth conversation with the controversial professor as he expands upon his perceptions of personal responsibility, human rights, political correctness and the importance of historical archetypes.

Much of the conversation evokes the Logos, an ancient Greek philosophy that promotes the persuasive powers of logic. If humans were to live as the reincarnation of the Logos, Peterson argues, then they would achieve harmonious alignment and eradicate chaos from their reality.

Peterson discusses the need to latch onto archetypes which have been deeply embedded into our culture for centuries, including the notion of the masculine and feminine. In his view, the attempts to disrupt and dismantle these structures will ultimately result in a societal breakdown from which we may never recover. The argument goes beyond gender identification - which he views as a sideshow to the real issues at play - and speaks to the destructive impact of the post-modernist philosophy.

Peterson's teachings are an expansion of Jungian philosophies, especially in regards to the notion of a shadow self. If one were to fully embody their moral and shadow selves - their capacity for both good and unspeakable evil - then they might achieve a level of consciousness bordering on the mythic.

Jordan Peterson: Truth in the Time of Chaos is an effective distillation of the professor's views, and of the ills that many believe are plaguing our modern society. The film explores a phenomenon that has proven especially alluring to male audiences, and has amassed tens of millions of views on YouTube. Whether you believe Peterson is a savior to Western civilization or a false prophet who indulges in heresy, the film puts forth a number of well articulated subjects that are worthy of exploration.

Directed by: David Fuller

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37 Comments / User Reviews

  1. American

    He's not exactly "conservative." More like small 'r' republican. hes advocating karl jung. Pretty far from "conservative," by any definition of the word.

  2. Troy Turton

    It's called he's a Conservative, Archie Bunker type. 0 of 10 without even watching it. lol

  3. Jon Jonzz

    A Brilliant man!

  4. tina

    so love this doc

  5. Lobo

    He has some very important things to say to many in the last few generations of men on the planet who have been "dumbed down" by institutionalized education, assaulted by the mainstream media blitz of popular culture, abandoned by parents who leave their upbringing to the television and Internet, and bullied by peers to copy politically-correct behaviors under the threat of ostracism, or worse.

    We need to resurrect the "Hero's Journey" lifestyle for young men and teach them to stiffen their spines when the load gets heavy, and that "service to others" is more satisfying than service to self.

    We also need to teach young men to find and conquer the things within themselves that they fear most, instead of providing them with more distractions to avoid looking within. At present, only the military services offer this kind of training, and they then send him off to kill or die, without teaching him how to integrate and control the internal "monster" that they put him in touch with. Men do need to learn how to confront the monster within, and gain the power that this generates, but then they need to learn how to control that power for the rest of their lives. This is the road to wisdom.

    1. Troy Turton

      yes, you hit it on the head what a Conservative America has been doing to America for 40+ years now. Centrist Democrats are Conservatives too!

  6. Sandra

    Blah, blah, blah. This guy has no more idea of what truth is than the man in the moon. He just throws around a bunch of theoretical terms that revolve around religion, tradition, and fundamentalism. Christianity is not the answer for everyone; atheism is just as relevant as a meaningful theory about life and purpose as any of the fancy terms this BS artist throws around. He had nothing novel or cogent to say about anything.

    1. John

      have you no idea what it's like to walk through the desert of life? dependent, burdensome, only wishing the best for everyone, but recognizing that your very existence is predatory? how about taking a trip to resentful hell? angry, destructive? watch what you say. it can change a man or woman's life. That's the power of speech. That's the power of association. I'm sick and tired of wobbly kneed living & speech. It's not going to lead us anywhere but confusion, division, and destruction.

    2. Wilron

      Listen again! He's unusually coherent.

    3. Swen

      Sandra, this is only ONE documentary about him on variety of subjects. If you have issue following what he was saying, you are having issue processing what he was saying. For example, we did not have proof of the shape and black hole, that Einstein set up a theory. We did found out couple of days ago that he was right with his theory, with visual confirmation of the black hole. You could think about him like that or not. I do respect your opinion and I am an atheist myself. He is modern day intellectual.

    4. kyle

      way to not be smart sandra

    5. Thomas

      ya what kyle said

    6. Troy Turton

      Wilron - 02/15/2019 at 02:22
      Listen again! He's unusually coherent. Coherent Doesn't Equal Correct. You must be a Republican if you think he is.

    7. Troy Turton

      John - 01/07/2019 at 09:58
      have you no idea what it's like to walk through the desert of life? dependent, burdensome, only wishing the best for everyone, but recognizing that your very existence is predatory? how about taking a trip to resentful hell? angry, destructive? watch what you say. it can change a man or woman's life. That's the power of speech. That's the power of association. I'm sick and tired of wobbly kneed living & speech. It's not going to lead us anywhere but confusion, division, and destruction.

      No, what has led us to that is called Failing Capitalism. A nation ruled by those with money, trying to save a Failing Capitalism. So they won't have to live like those whose lives they have RUINED

  7. Tyler

    I have seen Jordan Peterson talk in person. I have watched him with Joe Rogan, Sam Harris, Ben Shapiro, Eric Weinstein and Dave Rubin on their respective shows. This is the worst interview Jordan has done. It is better to watch Jordan in an unedited format. Jordan's talks are so profound that he does better in the long form interviews that last at least 3 hours. Jordan is amazing person and has brilliant ideas. The people who put this together completely missed the mark.

    1. Troy Turton

      all Conservatives, with the slight exception of Joe Rogan, who lately has shown he is more open minded then ever. You're problem is, you only listen to one side of the argument. Not Both. Or even someone looking in from the outside. Joe learned from listening to 2 of the outsiders looking in. Cornel West & Bernie Sanders.

  8. Steve Ranta

    Lots of handwaving, checking for the listeners' reactions, combined with a pseudo arguments with no testability - same as any psychopathic charismatic preacher.

  9. Billy Grant

    At 39 mins Jordan speaks about paying attention to ourselves as we interact with others. He mentions how we will either feel in alignment and stronger or we will feel fragmented. Watchman Nee a Christian Seer refers to this as feeling a sense of Amening or defilement within ourselves. This to me is essentially the inner guidance that Jesus referred to as the Holy Spirit within us, our holistic guidance. From a slightly different perspective, I also see it as living in the tree of life or living in the tree of knowledge. So we are either being our truth as we experience it in the present moment, or we are speaking what inner knowledge is convincing us to say due to insecurity or neuroses etc.

    1. Troy Turton

      We are never going to be undivided, being Ruled By The Rich. That's where ALL the problems reside. It's actually a simple premise that seems some how to fly over everyone's head. Being individuals can never = united. I mean DUH? Why do people vote 90% of the time, for candidates that DON'T have their best interests at heart. Over & Over again? It's a simple answer, as is fixing the problem. Those with Money & Power DO NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU! YOU are their indentured servants. You are NOT FREE, Have ZERO Liberty or POWER as an individual. Look at who the GOV, doesn't matter which party anymore. Gives almost all our taxes to? It's NOT WE THE PEOPLE. That's for damn sure.

  10. Billy

    At 40 mins Jodan speaks about how we are remembering how to be real. This to me is the true meaning of re-ligion. Re-ligion to me being our (re-align)ment with truth. Institutional religions then being something that we can use to help us with that but it happens regardless.

  11. GAB

    Total bs right out of the gate. The description above implies he was against trans gender identity blah blah. This is not true, he was against governments legislating what a person can or cannot say. People that support such legislation need to give their heads a shake.

  12. Amanda Adlem

    Adoption of gendered pronouns reinforces their validity.

  13. Universe Onesong

    Interesting article in The Toronto Star last month: "I was Jordan Peterson’s strongest supporter. Now I think he’s dangerous"
    By Bernard Schiff - Special to the Star - Fri., May 25, 2018

    1. eXtremz

      Logic is always dangerous.

  14. Oliver Koslik

    Well... It seems as though he has identified as being a christian.
    Go figure ~ #brainwashedbigotry

  15. Billie

    Great documentary on Dr. Peterson and his views. I like the fact that he talks about not being an “intellectual” ...because he embodies his views.this is extremely important...
    Totally appreciate some of the other comments...with the exception of Will. He is entitled to his views...but, personally denigrating Peterson is a poor reflection on himself.
    The other comments are introspective and thoughtful.
    As Peterson would say, “Give the devil his due”... At least he (Peterson) has succeeded in opening a dialogue on the nature of reality. He is shining a light on our unconscious beliefs, (which are always involved in each and every human.) I love the fact that he is asking important questions...
    One of which is:
    What is the motivation behind legislating compelled speech ?

    Really... Is it wise for us to accept such legistation without thinking it through critically? Peterson at least has had the kahunas to sound an alarm...He has the time and effort to think through the implications of this legislation. He at least has had the courage to put himself out there on the line...to take the heat for bringing us into public discourse on these matters.
    interaction.

  16. Graham

    Jordan is challenging the way we think and exposes the "left" for its monopoly groupthink "religion and conservativatism is bad." I like his comment "Truth burns off the dead wood which could be 95% of you."
    That includes me! Hope that includes you.

  17. Morrison Lee

    Well picked David Fuller for travelling all the way to Canada and for directing this piece. There is a lot of meat for thought here. Respect. Mozz from Oz.

  18. Morrison Lee

    Will uses disparaging terms and insults in place of logic. These don't influence rational minds. Joe is correct and specific when he says the Peterson opposes state-enforced language control. This is simply true. Whitehead observed that Western progress has a commitment to change within the context of rationality. Change for its own sake is anarchy. Preservation for its own sake is Dogmatism. (Science & the Modern World p.201) "Mere change for its own sake [modern political-correctness] is a change from nothing to nothing." It is a shrouding fog that clouds the modern mind by popular opinion and cowardly peer pressure. Facts are eternal and unchangable as Nature itself -'The world is all that is that case.' Jung identified these enduring patterns in his archetypes. Peterson claims these are founded in concrete reality. For this he is maligned by popular opinion. I think he is correct ... and I think he is a brave man for challenging the current winds to the contrary. Mozzman. Australia

  19. Emily Donelan

    I agree that the legislated use of special pronouns for use with people who have gender confusion is a violation of freedom of speech. I also find it not
    Acceptable for the state to try to take custody of a child if a parent does not
    Support their transitioning to another gender. Peterson speaks clearly about the underpinnings of morality and why shadow work and it's integration is so important, especially in child humane discipline. F Scott Peck also discussed this last important issue and he too underlined how the often invisible emotional abuse where a parent repeatedly undermines the courage of a child can be horribly crippling to his development. Thank you for this important series of interviews in this time where truth is under attack.

  20. mikem

    This man and scott peck have real ability to put jiggsaw puzzels together like magic.

  21. Will

    And yes I’m using the correct spelling

  22. Will

    Gender pronouns? Do you honestly think that is what worries me about this tenured social leach?

  23. Joe

    What is potentially harmful to the truth is articles like this which begin with a total and deliberate lie about Peterson's position regarding gender pronouns. What Peterson opposes is the legislated and state enforced use of alternative pronouns for people confused about their gender. But you know what... maybe the article isn't so dangerous after all. I trust that most people, unlike yourself, are intelligent enough to see it for themselves.

  24. Will

    Weasel words from weasel ideology. Peterson's upsidedown talk could prove very harmful for those who can’t Decipher what he says he is not saying. He is a huckster of the worst kind. His drivel allows multiple meanings depending upon what kind of mood you happen to be in that day. Seriously though how can people not see through this inflammatory mindset? Oh and if he is so gung ho about getting his word to the people perhaps he could remove the paywall from all of his papers because I wouldn’t waste a dime on him.

    1. Jackie Freitas

      Will
      "Peterson's upsidedown talk could prove very harmful for those who can’t Decipher what he says he is not saying."
      WTF does that even mean??? Speaking of can't decipher...have you read your own comment? I seriously doubt you're male, but if you are...UGH

    2. Tim Malone

      I'm not going to insult you because I disagree with you. But your comment was odd to me, mainly because you seem to see one of the important, if not the most important aspect of Peterson's speakings. Its intended to be ambiguous to a certain degree. He thinks in abstractions (as we all naturally do, but in the west that is heavily diminished with our obsession of intellectualism) and thus speaks in abstractions. Its meant to come off in a manner where anyone who attempts to, can, find SOME understanding and meaning in what he's saying. So in a way, I agree in part with your comment, it CAN BE DANGEROUS. It absolutely can be, when heard with the wrong ears and interpreted with a biased and ideological mind. We have all seen how the far right has taken his wisdom and twisted it to fit many of their narratives. But - does that mean Peterson should stop offering up useful wisdom to people because SOME people misuse it? Have you ever looked at the comment sections on his youtube videos and seen the THOUSANDS of people commenting about how he has drastically changed or even saved their lives? The man is a clinical psychologist, he's a therapist, he's driven to help others. Maybe his methods are misguided, its a fair question to ask, and even he would agree. But for the current world we live in in the West, his brutal honesty and drive to find truth and offer reason is something we are in desperate need of. Our world is going wrong, we need to correct centuries of self destructive behavior and socially destructive behaviors. Yea, it can be inflammatory as well, when things are wrong, it takes lighting a flame under people to get them active in change. All cultures, all societies change, or they die. We're do different and our western society is on the path toward collapse. Read about what lead the Roman Empire to total collapse and see if it doesn't sound a little familiar.

      If you could offer up a specific idea of Peterson's that you feel is heavily misguided I'd appreciate because I would honestly like to better understand your dislike of him. I don't want to argue or insult you, I just really don't understand those who are so adamantly against him. Maybe I can learn something from you. I'm more than willing to try.

      Take care.