I have recently been kind of going through a bit of a confusing time in my life. I have always admired Jordan Peterson, but lately I feel that his work has been even more relatable and useful to me. In a world that often feels hopeless and dim, Jordan gives me hope. He inspires me… Sometimes when I listen to his lectures or interviews, it reminds me to pray.
Jordan Peterson is an incredible intellectual. (We all know this). His books Maps of Meaning, 12 Rules For Life, and 12 More Rules For Life: Beyond Order, have personally changed my life in many ways.
It would be over 100+ pages if I sat down and told you why I love Jordan Peterson, (so, in multiple blog posts, I will be talking about why I love Jordan, and what I have learned from him.
In this post, I will be discussing and talking about one of my favorite books of all time, 12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson. (In this blog post as well, I will also be discussing and talking about what Jordan has taught me and why I love him so much).
There will be another blog post, where I will be discussing 12 More Rules For Life: Beyond Order By: Jordan Peterson.
I have been feeling a bit anxious and nervous lately… In a world where society expects so much from my younger generation, Jordan Peterson extends me a large imaginary hand, and I can allow myself to take a deep breath.
(Jordan also allows me to sometimes also take a step back from politics, and he inspires me to sometimes put my phone down and look at the world around me).
And, (obviously) I am still 20 years old currently, and I still have plenty of things to learn about life, but Jordan Peterson has helped me through some very difficult and dark times that I have been too afraid to discuss publicly.
I have lived an incredible life so far, but I have also been through some incredibly rough times as well, and I am grateful for my friends and family, (as well as of course, my very close relationship with God), for helping me through some dark times from December of 2019 to present times.
But, without my very close relationship with God, and without my parents and family and close friends, I am not sure where I would be in life right now. There was a time where in December of 2019, I felt lost and stuck and also depressed. During this time, I knew I was sad, but I felt scared to talk about what I was going through publicly.
In 2018, when I was dealing with a lot at school, a video one day popped up in my recommended of one of Jordan’s lectures. From that point on, my life pretty much changed (and it definitely changed for the better).
And, I honestly love Jordan so much to the point that if I say something like “my favorite human being” to my parents, (then they will know that I’m talking about Jordan Peterson).
There are also moments where I will literally tell my parents, “please leave me alone, I’m reading Jordan’s books”, or, “please leave me alone, I am watching Jordan’s lectures”.
There are three men in my life that continuously inspire me each and every day. These men are (of course), my father, Jordan Peterson, and Dennis Prager. I believe that every young woman should have a few male figures that they should look up to, (because the truth is, I believe that men are a gift to the world, and I am very grateful for the inspirational male figures in my life).
And, (lately), because I feel like I’ve been going through a pretty confusing time, I have, (as stated before), have loved Jordan Peterson more as a person, as a professor, as a public figure, and as an intellect, there are many reasons as to why I love Jordan Peterson, and there are also many reasons as to why the book 12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson is one of my favorite books of all time.
Here are some of those reasons:
He cares a lot about fighting antisemitism. Jordan Peterson is a devout Christian, and he cares a lot about standing up for those who feel like they don’t have a voice. He has Jewish friends, and (like me), he wants to fight to protect them and make sure they’re safe. “To understand ideology, Jordan read extensively about not only the Soviet gulag, but also the Holocaust and the rise of Nazism. I had never before met a person, born Christian and of my generation, who was so utterly tormented by what happened in Europe to the Jews, and who had worked so hard to understand how it could have occurred” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Foreword, Norman Doidge, pg. xv).
He is very passionate about taking a stand for free speech, and he also really tries his
best to look at both sides of the political spectrum. Despite him being called names for taking a stand and standing up for what’s right, Peterson continues to fight for free speech and the right for both sides to have a right to their natural born given rights given to them (basically) by birth. “Years after we became friends, when Jordan would take a classical liberal stand for free speech, he would be accused by left-wing extremists as being a left-wing “bigot” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Foreword by Norman Doidge, pg. xv).
Jordan Peterson taught me that everyone goes through hardships in life. There are many simple quotes that Jordan says that have sticked with me. (It’s hard for me to honestly explain how much Jordan and how much his works mean to me), but this quote in particular is the fact that life is full of suffering. (Everyone suffers at least some point in their lives). It’s okay to have rough days, and it is okay to struggle. Sometimes, (like any human), I go through my own ups and downs (so do you, if you’re reading this). I have good days, and I have bad days. (I even sometimes have days where I don’t even want to get out of bed sometimes, and I also have days where I feel cranky, because after all, we are all human, and we obviously all have emotion). Jordan Peterson taught me that life is basically a rollercoaster. Life is full of suffering, and that everyone has their own struggles in life. “Above all, he alerted his students to topics rarely discussed in University, such as the simple fact that all ancients, from Buddha to the Biblical authors, knew what every slightly worn out adult knows, that life is suffering. But alas, it’s not particularly special. We don’t suffer only because “politicians are dimwitted”, or “the system is corrupt”, or because you and I, like almost everyone else, can legitimately describe ourselves, in some way, as a victim of something or someone, it is because we are born human that we are guaranteed a good dose of suffering, And chances are, if you or someone your love is not suffering now, they will within five years, unless you are freakishly lucky” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Foreword By: Norman Doidge, pg xvii).
Tolerance is key, especially to people who you may disagree with. (It’s okay to have disagreements, but respect is and should always be key). “So, the decent thing to do- once it becomes apparent how arbitrary your, and your society’s “moral values” are- is to show tolerance for people who think differently, and who come from (diverse) backgrounds. That emphasis for tolerance is so paramount that for many people one of the worst character flaws a person can have is to be “judgmental”. And, since we don’t know right from wrong, or what is good, just about the most inappropriate thing an adult can do is give a wrong person advice about how to live” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Foreword By: Norman Doidge, pg. xiv).
Jordan love's philosophy as much as I do. Growing up, I’ve always loved philosophy… I have many books about philosophy and books that are ALSO by Philosophers as well… (I’ve also always found philosophy super interesting too). I find it super interesting as well that intellectuals or people THOUSANDS of years ago asked things such as, “what’s the meaning of life?”, “is life worth fulfilling?”, “does faith exist? If so, do we have free will?”, “why do we dream?”, “what does it mean to live a good life?”, or, “how will humans as a species go extinct?” Both Jordan and I love philosophy, while many people honestly dislike and kind of find it a little annoying. Jordan and I also feel that there’s a basic importance in having intellectual conversations with other people.
Jordan applies all of his rules. If you thought that 12 Rules For LIfe: An Antidote to Chaos was just a book with a bunch of rules that Jordan mindlessly wrote, (then you are very very wrong). Jordan lives out these rules (now from both books), every single day. In Dave Rubins book, Don’t Burn This Book, he discusses what it was like to go on tour with Jordan, basically stating, “Other times, we’d be just out and about it in a new city, and he’d demonstrate principle, belief, or approach through his behavior or posture (yes, he always stands up straight with his shoulders back). It was obvious to me right from the get go that the “12 Rules” weren’t just some abstract ideas he put into a book, but rather lifelong lessons learned that he was incorporating into his own life. Seeing it firsthand was dislodging something in my brain in real time” (Don’t Burn This Book By: Dave Rubin, pg. 170).
While Jordan is a VERY well read, intellectually curious, and academically rigorous as you can possibly probably imaging, he teaches me that no human being is an expert on everything. We are living in a world where EVERYONE on and off social media act like they’re experts on everything… (from politics, to economics, to foreign policy, everyone in society acts like they know everything). Jordan Peterson is universally revered (and many people also kind of fear his level of intellect as well), for his incredible intellect, YET, he is still able to say the following words that are now known as underrated, “I don’t know”. Even with how incredible Jordan is intellectually, he teaches me that it’s okay not to know about everything, and I am hoping that other people realize that they aren’t, (and that other people also need to stop acting like self proclaimed experts), because at the end of the day, most people are totally clueless about practically everything intellectual. Ancient philosophers from thousands of years ago didn’t have an answer to questions in which we still are asking today. Some of the smartest people who are experts, (or people who may have PhD’s, etc). in their field also don’t have all the answers to everything, so (honestly), neither do. And, the super cool thing that I love about Jordan, (and one of the reasons as to why I love and look up to Jordan so much), is that he is perfectly FINE with admitting that he doesn’t know everything. And the coolest part of this while he was on tour with Dave Rubin? This was that when Jordan said, “I don’t know”, no one in the tour audience really cared. They didn’t gasp, and they didn’t scream or yell or freak out, and (instead), many of the people in the tour audience, (according to Dave Rubin), many of the audience actually found his candor and honesty super new and refreshing.
I love Jordan Peterson because he is an incredible fashion icon.
Jordan teaches me that (in order to basically be happy, we have to put in the work to do so. While the rules in his books are (basically) pieces of advice for people to try and have the best lives possible. (But), his rules also make life a little harder (to understand what I mean, you should read his books to find out what I mean).
“We experience much of our positive emotion in relation to goals. We are not happy, technically speaking, unless we see ourselves progressing- and the very idea of progression implies value. Worse yet is the fact that the meaning of life without positive value is not simply neutral. Because we are vulnerable and mortal, pain and anxiety are an integral part of human existence. We must have something to set against the suffering that is intrinsic to being. We must have the meaning inherent in a profound system of value or the humor of existence rapidly becomes paramount. Then, nihilism beckons, with its hopelessness and despair. So, no value, no meaning”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Overture, pg. xxxi). So, (in order to be happy, especially in my opinion), you have to put in the work to be happy (happiness doesn’t just come to you).
Having a daily routine is super important. This an important reason that Jordan taught me because I learned that many people who are depressed or have anxiety often actually have unpredictable daily routines. Jordan taught me that by HAVING a daily routine, you basically have a purpose to complete your day. (And, by also having lists, it also helps lay out what you should do that day). “Anxiety and depression cannot be easily treated if the sufferer has unpredictable daily routines” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, pg. 18).
Having good habits is important. Having a daily life is important, and having a daily routine and schedule is important.
Jordan taught me that you can’t be SELF DEPENDENT on other people.
People who have been bullied treat life differently. (As someone who was viciously bullied, I relate to this unfortunately, and I know that many of you reading this may also relate to this as well). And, although I’ve personally never experienced or have struggled with anxiety, but I have (somewhat) struggled a little bit with being or feeling depressed. Because of the bullying I went through as well, it has basically also made me feel insecure as well.
Jordan has also personally taught me that, “no one likes to be pushed around, but people often put up with it for too long”, (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, pg. 24).
Jordan taught me that circumstances change, and so do people.
Jordan taught me that not only do our emotions react in a painful manner towards rejection, but our bodies also react painfully as well. When it comes to things such as transplantation, one of the most painful responses (both emotionally and physically) is towards rejection. This is because, (in Jordan’s words), “Now, one of the complications of transplantation is rejection. Your body does not like it when parts of someone else’s body are stitched into it. Your immune system will attack and destroy such foreign elements, even when they are crucial to your survival”.
Jordan taught me that authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarianism, communism, socialism and marxism are dangerous ideologies. “Orderm when pushed too far, when imbalanced, can also manifest itself destructively and terribly. It does so as the forced migration, the concentration camp and the soul-devouring uniformity of the goose-step”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, pg. 40).
Jordan taught me that no one is perfect, and that part of being a human being means (unfortunately) sometimes being judged by other human beings. “You’re bad enough, as other people know you. But only you know the full range of your secret transgressions, insufficiencies and inadequacies. No one is more familiar than you with all the ways your mind and body are flawed, no one has no reason to hold you in contempt, to see you as pathetic- and by withholding something that might do you good, you can punish yourself for all your feelings. A dog, a harmless, innocent, unselfconscious dog, is clearly more deserving. But, if you are not yet convinced, let us consider another vital issue. Order, chaos, life, death, sin, vision, work and suffering. That is not enough for the authors if Genesis, not for humanity itself. The story continues, in all its catastrophe and tragedy, and the people involved (that’s us) must contend with yet another painful awakening. We are next fated to contemplate morality itself” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, pg. 53).
Jordan taught me that the best definition of “evil” is that an individual will inflict suffering for the sake of suffering.
Jordan taught me that taking care of ourselves is super important, but as individuals we don’t really seem to have a problem with trying to help others, (but when it comes to trying to help ourselves), its harder to look out or take care of OURSELVES.
“It is easy to believe that people are arrogant, and egotistical, and always looking out for themselves. The cynicism that makes that opinion a universal truism is widespread and fashionable. But such an orientation to the world is not characteristic of many people. They have the opposite problem: they shoulder intolerable burdens of self-disgust, self-contempt shame and self-consciousness. Thus, instead of narcissistically inflating their own importance, they don’t value themselves at all, and they don’t take care of themselves with attention and skill. It seems people often don’t really behave that they deserve the best care, personally speaking. They are excruciatingly aware of their own faults and inadequacies, real and exaggerated, and ashamed and doubtful of their own value. They believe that other people shouldn’t suffer, and will work dillegently and altruinsically to help them alleviate it. They extend the same courtesy even to the animals they are acquainted with but no easily to themselves” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, pg. 59). If you don’t want animals, or other people to suffer etc. then why are you allowing yourself to suffer? Why aren’t you taking care of yourself? Mental health is so so important please take it easily and take care of yourself as much as you can. (Mental health is so important, and not enough people pay attention to it which needs to change).
Jordan taught me that’s okay if I don’t like to party.
I have honestly never really liked to party, or drink, or smoke. As a teenager, Jordan didn’t like teenage parties. Growing up, I was kind of seen by my peers as “weird”, “bizarre” or “strange”, because I didn’t like to party, drink, or smoke.
I have always focused on having a future, so while my peers were out partying, I was in my house studying or reading books.
Jordan taught me that it’s okay to have different hobbies then your peers. Now, (being 20 years old), I have noticed that I am not like most people my age. I have spent many years kind of embarrassed at the fact that I wasn’t like the “typical teenager”. Sometimes I feel like an outsider, so having someone like Jordan who also basically felt the same way that I did, it’s almost comforting.
Not liking to party is not a bad thing, (trust me).
Jordan taught me to befriend people that want the best for me.
Jordan taught me to let go of toxic people.
Jordan taught me to let go of people that make me insecure about myself.
Jordan taught me to let go of people that make me feel badly about myself.
Jordan taught me to let go of people who don’t put effort into a friendship or relationship with me.
At one time or another, you will probably deal with or experience toxic people, people who make you feel badly about yourself, and people who probably won’t necessarily put effort in trying to get to know you, (or people who may not put effort into the relationship or friendship).
You will probably (unfortunately) have a situation where you will have to make a SUPER hard decision to cut someone off who isn’t good for you.
Jordan taught me to be friends with people who want the best for you as an individual. But, you might also be asking, “Kyra, how do I know if someone is good for me or not?” and, (of course), I’m 20, so I do realize that this is a difficult question to answer, but this is also something that I’ve basically realized. This realization is that, see (and maybe analyze) how a person makes you feel.
(I recommend asking yourself these questions):
How do you feel when you are texting them?
How do you feel when you are hanging out with them?
How do you feel when you are looking at their social media accounts?
Do you think this person is putting in effort to talk to you?
Do you think that this person is putting in A BASIC EFFORT in the friendship or relationship?
Is this person making you happy?
(If you answer NO to any of the questions above, you may need to cut them off… I hope you, reading this, realize that you deserve nothing but the best, you deserve to be happy, and if a person is making you feel bad about yourself, or if they aren’t putting in an effort in the friendship or relationship, it’s time to maybe respectfully leave that person behind).
I understand that leaving people who (you feel) don’t try or put in effort, who make you feel bad, who maybe make you insecure is hard.
But there are other ways on how to get rid of toxic people, (so here are more tips):
Avoid playing into their reality. Some people have the unfortunate tendency to see themselves as a victim in practically every situation. These types of people may make you feel uncomfortable about some of your opinions, thoughts or feelings. If you have to sit and nod or not respond to a “certain” person’s text message, then it may (possibly) be time to let this person go unfortunately. (This is because you deserve to have people in your life who allow you to not only be the truest version of yourself, but who also let you have your opinions, thoughts and feelings as well).
Don’t get drawn in. Dealing with someone’s toxic behavior can be exhausting. Do not engage with people who are negative about everything. (For me, when I feel depressed or if I am having a bad day, I don’t like to discuss how I feel with people unless they ask how I am doing because I find negative people exhausting, and I don’t want to seem exhausting or like a negative person). With people who are constantly negative about everything, don’t engage, because negative people can seem exhausting.
Pay attention to how they make you feel. I stated this before, (but I think that this is super important). I want to mention that not everyone in the world feels their best all of the time. I also think that it is important to mention that being in a bad mood makes people sometimes lash out, (or say mean things). This isn’t necessarily toxic, but a toxic person is someone who, (in my opinion) is constantly negative about everything. Does this person make you happy or feel good? You should always surround yourself with people who make you happy, and who challenge you to be the basic best version of yourself. If this individual is not challenging you, cheering you on, if they’re not making you feel good, or if they are basically making you see things in a negative light, it may be time to either talk to them, or let them go.
Talk to them about their behavior. Sometimes, people may not even realize how they are making others feel, so having an open conversation may definitely change things, and it may make a person see that (or how) their behavior may be unacceptable. (For example, just because a person may think they are a nice person, but may not see how you don’t feel that way). I know many toxic people who constantly have to tell others that they are a nice person. Some of us do this, and we all make mistakes (including myself), but a good person will never have to clarify that they are a good person or not. Do you ever hear or see Jordan Peterson or Dennis Prager say that they think they’re a nice person? No. So, after you talk to this person about their behavior, and they seem confusing about the stuff that they say, (or if the conversation doesn’t necessarily clear things up for you), then you might need to let them go.
Put yourself first. (Your wellbeing is important too!)
Offer change, but don’t try to fix them.
Say no, and then walk away respectfully.
Remember that you aren’t at fault. Toxic people (or toxic behavior), can make you feel like you did something wrong, but you should remind yourself that if a person is acting in a toxic or a manner that doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, then you should possibly drop them.
12 Rules For Life taught me to let go of people who make you feel as if you aren’t valued, or who make you depressed. (And, after reading this rule), I am incredibly grateful that I read this book during a very confusing time in my life when I was trying to basically decide whether to keep someone that meant a lot to me, (but who made me feel insecure and undervalued) or let them go, and it was an incredibly hard decision for me to make in my life, (but after reading this rule, I decided to make the super tough decision to let them go).
“Success: that’s the mystery. Virtue: that’s what’s inexplicable. To fail, you merely have to cultivate a few bad habits. You just have to bide your time. And once someone has spent enough time cultivating bad habits and biding their time they are much diminished. Much of what they could have been has dissipated, and much of the less that they have become is now real. Things fall apart, of their own accord, but the sins of men speed their degeneration. And then comes the flood, I am not saying that there is no redemption. But it is much harder to extract someone from a chasm than to lift him from a ditch. And, some chasms are very deep. And there’s not much left of the body at the bottom”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 81).
You are not responsible to heal or to try to fix people.
Before you become friends with someone, it’s important to maybe make sure or get to know them first.
Jordan also taught a lot about unhealthy relationships, and how to basically deal with them.
“If I stay in an unhealthy relationship with you, perhaps it’s because I’m too weak willed and indecisive to leave, but I don’t want to know it”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 81).
It takes a lot of guts to love someone and to leave someone. (It’s definitely not easy).
But, (sometimes), the hardest decision in which a person can make is (possibly) walk out of another person’s life. It takes a lot of self sacrifice to be willing to help someone or to stay in an unhealthy relationship.
But, if you’re in a relationship or friendship that you wouldn’t recommend to your sister, father, or son, why would you have such a friend or significant other for yourself out of loyalty, (especially if they aren’t necessarily acting loyal towards you?) But, loyalty isn’t identical to stupidity.
A friendship or relationship is a reciprocated arrangement.
“You aren’t morally obliged to support someone who is making the world a worse place. Quite the opposite. You should choose people who want things to be better, not worse. It’s a good thing, not a selfish thing, to choose people whose lives would be improved if they saw your life improve”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 82).
Make friends for people who want the best for you. Make and create romantic relationships with people who want the best for you, and drop the people who you feel like don’t… (always listen to your gut. Your heart can act stupid, but if something seems off or wrong with a person, then you are probably right to maybe possibly have a hesitant feeling towards possibly keeping them in your life if that makes sense. If something seems off, then something is probably not right).
It’s hard to find good, healthy people, but keep trying. Don’t give up.
You teach people how to treat you.
Befriend people that want what’s best for you.
Befriend people that value you.
Jordan Taught me to not compare myself to others.
“Failure is the price we pay for standards and, because mediocrity has consequences both real and harsh, standards are necessary. We are not equal in ability or outcome, and never will be. A very small number of people produce very much of everything. The winners don’t take all, but they take most, and the bottom is not a good place to be. People are unhappy at the bottom. They get sick there, and remain unknown, and unloved. They waste their lives there. They die there. In consequence, the self denigrating voice in the minds of people weaves a devastating tale” (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 86).
“Perhaps you are over-valuing what you don’t have and under valuing what you do”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 89).
I struggle a lot with people and comparisons. Over about a year ago, I was in a very toxic relationship. Now, (in the future), I worry that I seem toxic to people for some reason, where I basically get to the point where I’ll sometimes (unfortunately) have slight panic attacks because I worry about what people close to me think.
I also worry about (for some reason) seeming clingy, annoying, or even needy or desperate towards a guy I may like or who I may be crushing on, (where sometimes I don’t even really tell them that I like them for some reason, which I know that some other girls can probably relate to as well).
I worry A LOT unfortunately.
“Be cautious when you’re comparing yourself to others. You’re a singular being, once you’re an adult. You have your own particular, specific problems- financial, intimate psychological, and otherwise. Those are embedded in the unique broader context of your existence. Your career or job works for you in a personal manner, Or it does not, and it does so in a unique interplay with the other specifics of your life. You must decide how much of your time to spend on this, and how much on that. You must decide what to let go, and what to pursue”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Page. 92).
I (honestly and unfortunately compare myself to others so unhealthily to the point where I don’t even WANT to go on social media or Instagram or even Snapchat sometimes. Detoxing is okay sometimes. Be cautious. You have different problems then others, and you also have unique characteristics that no one on this planet or realm has. (Also), be nice to yourself. You have a purpose, and we all are here on Earth for a different reason, purpose, or perspective. Life’s too short for unhappiness, insecurity, jealousy, negativity, hatred, toxicity, prejudice, discrimination, and/or bigotry. Try your best to be as cautious and kind to yourself as possible, and you honestly have no idea how beautiful you may look to a stranger. You have no idea who may be inspired by you and your story as well.
Please just try to be cautious and kind to yourself, (as well as please try to be as kind and cautious to others around you as well).
No one is perfect, and it’s okay to realize that.
I’m also (honestly) very private about my past experiences… (For example, I don’t really like to be vulnerable, because my past is my past, and I don’t want to come across to people as “too sad” or a “victim”.
“That’s how you deal with the overwhelming complexity of the world: you ignore it, while you concentrate minutely on your private concerns. You see things that facilitate your movement forward, toward your desired goals. You detect obstacles, when they pop up in your path. You’re blind to everything else, (and there’s a lot of everything else- so you’re very blind). And it has to be that way, because there is much more of the world than there is of you. You must shepherd your limited resources carefully. Seeing is very difficult, so you must choose what to see, and let the rest go”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 98).
One thing that has changed my perspective on life is traveling and visiting other countries. I also grew up in a multicultural household, (with my Dad being American, and my Mother being of basic European descent), so I was taught two basic perspectives culturally. (Traveling has also always been important to my family as well. And, with traveling to many places GLOBALLY, you get to see how big the world is around you, and how small you are (as an individual) compared to the rest of the world.
We all have personal issues and problems, but the world is so big that at the end of the day, those problems don’t really honestly matter as much (if that makes sense).
Jordan taught me that it’s okay to have a thirst of knowledge.
Growing up, I wasn’t necessarily the typical girl. I would have very “intellectual” conversations including discussing things such as different cultures, philosophy, economics, politics, linguistics, etc.
In school, I would basically be found in the back of a room reading a book while practically everyone else in the classroom was basically struggling to complete their studies and schoolwork. (I am not exactly sure if this is embarrassing to admit, but I think this should be admitted), but I would also befriend adults and teachers instead of my peers.
I grew up LOVING as well HAVING a true thirst for knowledge.
I would stay home reading books about Confucius and Aristotle or John Adams or Socrates or and studying while my peers were out partying. (And, of course, there’s nothing against partying, but it’s respectfully just not really my thing).
Jordan taught me that intellectuality is more needed (especially in society today).
To be honest, intellectuality, I feel lost among society in which we live in today.
“Negative emotions, like their positive counterparts, help us learn. We need to learn, because we’re stupid and easily damaged. We can die. That’s not good, and we don’t feel good about it. If we did, we would seek death, and then we would die. We don’t even feel good about dying if it only might happen. And that’s all the time. In that manner, negative emotions, for all their unpleasantness, protect us. We feel hurt and scared and ashamed and disgusted so we can avoid damage. And we’re susceptible to feeling such things a lot. In fact, we feel more negative about a loss of a given size than we feel good about the same-sized gain. Pain is more potent than pleasure, and anxiety more than hope”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Page 131).
Jordan taught me that it’s okay to be vulnerable.
In 12 Rules For Life, Jordan basically states that it took Jordan decades to realize that being vulnerable is a normal thing, and he also discusses what it means to be vulnerable.
“It took me decades to understand what that means (to understand even part of what that means). It’s this: once you become consciously aware that you, yourself, are vulnerable, you understand the nature of human vulnerability in general. You understand what it’s like to be fearful, and angry, and resentful, and bitter. You understand what pain means. And once you truly understand such feelings in yourself, and how they’re produced, you understand how to produce them in others”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, Page 174-175).
Jordan taught me that it takes a special kind of sacrifice to try and defeat evil.
Jordan taught me that every religion has faults and flaws, (and imperfections of some kind).
Jordan taught me to tell the truth, (or at least), not to lie.
It’s not easy to tell the truth (It’s basically a lot easier to lie). But, when you tell the truth, (and if you tell the truth), more people may respect for you, or they may be attracted to you basically like a magnet.
Jordan taught me how important it is to listen when having conversations.
Jordan taught me that when you continue to try and search for wisdom and to learn more, that is what it “basically” means to be “smart” or “intellectual” or “intelligent”.
The Oracle in Delphi basically regarded Socrates as the wisest man on Earth, because Socrates, (even though he was very intellectual, and smart), knew that he could (and should) try and learn more, because what he knew in a day meant nothing, and there’s always more knowledge to try and learn.
Your brain is like a sponge, and it should be generously exercised.
Jordan taught me how important strength is in the face of adversity.
“What shall I do with my infants death? Hold my other loved ones and heal their pain. It is necessary to be strong in the face of death, because death is intrinsic to life. It is for this reason that I tell my students: aim to be the person at your father’s funeral that everyone, in their grief and misery can rely on. There’s a worthy and noble ambition: strength in the face of adversity. That is very different from the wish for a life free of trouble”. (12 Rules For Life By: Jordan Peterson, page 367).
I learned a lot from this book.
It has taught me so many things about myself, as well as the world around me.
This book helped me during a very depressing, and confusing time.
This book has taught me that self discovery is a lifelong mission, and I love how Jordan isn’t afraid to admit that as well.
There’s also a Bible verse that really sticks out to me that I thought I would share.
“You would have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’.
But I say to you, love your enemy and hate your enemy’.
But, I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those that hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
And, if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”.
Matthew 5: 43-48.
I want the best for all of you, and I really hoped that this blog post helped you out somehow.
There’s a lot to learn from Jordan’s first set of rules:
Rule #1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back.
Rule #2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.
Rule #3: Make friends with people who want the best for you.
Rule #4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, Not to who someone else is today.
Rule #5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
Rule #6: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.
Rule #7: Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
Rule #8: Tell the truth-- or at least, don’t lie.
Rule #9: Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t.
Rule #10: Be precise in your speech.
Rule #11: Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.
Rule #12: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.
If you would like to grab a copy of this book, you can snatch up a copy by copying and pasting the links down below:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/12-rules-for-life-jordan-peterson/1126270657?ean=9780345816023
For more information about the book (and the rules), then please copy and paste the links down below to view and learn more about this masterpiece and book:
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