"What's happening on the radical Left end of the spectrum, is that there's a concerted effort to criticize the structure of current hierarchy," said Dr. Peterson, "and maybe to criticize the idea of hierarchy itself, to consider the West and capitalistic structures as fundamentally as oppressive patriarchies."
"You need a hierarchy," he added, "You can't actually orient yourself in the world without a hierarchy."
Dr. Peterson, who spoke to Breitbart News at Turning Point USA's 4th annual Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, said that individuals need to be able to prioritize what is most important in their lives.
"That immediately creates a hierarchy," said Dr. Peterson, "because everything you do has to be related to that."
The psychologist added that "the radical deconstructionist types" oftentimes turn to a modified form of Marxism, because they lack the structure that one needs in order to prioritize what is best for themselves and their family.
"That leaves people lost," said Dr. Peterson, "If the hierarchy is structured properly, then there's something at the top that you can aim at."
When asked why the idea of taking personal responsibility for oneself has suddenly become a politically partisan issue, Dr. Peterson said the Left thinks that "too much emphasis on individual responsibility lets corrupt systems off the hook."
"But I would still say - your best bet is to straighten up your life - I don't think there's a more psychological stance that you can take than that."
Dr. Peterson said that taking responsibility is what truly empowers an individual.
"Most of the meaning that you find in your life - I'm talking about where you find the meaning that will sustain you through rough times - is actually to be found in the voluntary adoption of responsibility."
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo and on Instagram.
Reader Comments
"In 1977 a 14 year old Jordan Peterson was almost elected vice-president of the Alberta NDP" [Link]
An interview with the Atlantic touches on that time period too: [Link]
What does your question mean George?
A medical doctor, no matter how good or great he feels himself to be, cannot tell his patient how s/he (the patient) feels.
It has never happened. it will never happen. Equate that to Dr. Peterson.
Shalom
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Anyway, as given, hierarchy = 2D concept.
Field dynamics is where it's at, man...[Link]
("the West and capitalistic structures as fundamentally as oppressive patriarchies.") - Freaking duh good doctor! We're at 500+ years now of the West pillaging, slaughtering and enslaving the rest of the planet and dedicated to continuing to do so. I guess I'd call that "oppressive" - "structurally."
This guy is a shill for this the bat shit crazy neoliberal Western imperialist system that is killing the entire freaking planet. The same "structure" and "hierarchy" that has put as much wealth in the hands of the five wealthiest people as in the hands of the entire bottom one half of all of humanity - well over 3.5 billion people. One needs to be either completely amoral or a psychopath to defend this system, and one certainly doesn't need to be a Marxist to despise it. People obviously need heroes, but why anyone would find this guy compelling is beyond me.
Here, just for you
[Link]
May some restfilled periods find you during these crazy times.
I think a lot of what people find compelling about Peterson is that it's kind of fascinating watching him wrassling with himself in a sack looking for daylight.
In one sense, Jordan Peterson is a good guy courageously struggling in earnest with the wholly terrible and debilitating existential crockbag of being a Canadian.
That probably sounds as though I'm being facetious and bitchy, and in a way perhaps I am, but if you listen to Canadian thinkers and pundits, they have this great tendency to over-rely on statistics and The Gravitas of The Written Word, and this is because of their geographical location, population density, terrible climate, and general alienation from The Throng-Hub of The Agora of The Old Country.
You ok?
🎊🎉 HAPPY 2019 SOTTites!! 🏌🏋⛷🎯