Image excerpted from The Vinkhuijzen Collection of Military Uniforms (1940).
In
his recent appearance at Liberty University, Jordan Peterson delivered this verdict on the dominant attitude toward masculinity among our society's elites: "I don't think we do a very good job at the moment of encouraging men. We have this idea that there's something intrinsically oppressive about the patriarchy and about masculinity in general. And I think that's nonsense.
I think that strong, honest, truthful, courageous men pursuing noble goals is of great benefit to everyone, male and female alike." Members of the student audience applauded loudly, little knowing that not 10 minutes later, a scene would unfold in which Peterson would have an opportunity to match action to words.
By now, tens of thousands of people have seen
the clip of the desperate young man who slipped past security to rush the stage and appeal to Peterson for help. The high-definition video feed was cut,
but amateur footage shows Peterson leaving his seat and following David Nasser, Liberty University's Campus Pastor, to engage. Nasser assures the troubled boy that he is "in the right place," telling security to stand down while he leads the audience in prayer. As the student collapses in sobs, Peterson can be seen kneeling down to put a calming hand on his heaving shoulders. After the student is escorted offstage, the video feed comes back up as Nasser and Peterson return to their seats. Peterson seems shaken and visibly moved to tears.
The whole vignette plays out in less than two minutes.
Yet it affords an opportunity for reflection - by shedding light not only on the specific nature of Jordan Peterson's appeal, but also on the larger question of what masculine virtue can and should look like in the modern age.
Comment: The lawsuits would do well to continue until the wholesale evil that is Bayer/Monsanto be brought to utter bankruptcy.
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