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Jordan Peterson – a postscript
Further to @brianwatts satirical piece on Jordan Peterson’s latest book, let us not forget the inherent danger of any form of censorship.
Above all, remember that in 1823 the German-Jewish author Heinrich Heine wrote: “Dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende Menschen.“ (Where you burn books, you will finish by burning people).
A century later, when the Nazis came to power, they did just that, burning books (including those of Heine himself). And you know how that story ended.
Booksellers and librarians refusing to stock books with whose content they do not agree is a far cry from the mass incineration of “decadent” works. But maybe not quite as far as that. Alarm bells should be ringing!
Published in General
Those who use any method to control the conversation and thereby control thought know that their ideology will not stand up to open scrutiny. They are the ultimate enemies of Liberty. Any time, any place.
You can take the word of public college and university administrators and city mayors. If Jordan Peterson wanted to give a speech, they would all say that, despite having police forces, the danger to Peterson from their political allies is so great that they must prevent him from speaking.
It is all about power and control
I continue to be baffled by backwardness of the (mostly) college explanations of why the colleges prevent certain speakers from speaking. It’s not that the speaker or the speaker’s supporters are going to commit violence – it’s because the opponents of the speaker are unwilling or unable to control their primal urges and will commit violence. The speaker is blamed for the behaviors of his or her opponent. Bizarre.
I read Peterson’s book shortly after it came out. I am trying to remember anything about it that was particularly controversial, and, frankly, I can’t. I have heard him speak on his various videos. He always comes across as completely rational which may, in fact, be the reason the left hates him. However, I cannot, for the life of me, understand why his book would be banned anywhere.
Indeed. I also read it and found it immensely helpful and a potential great contribution to the collective mental health of the western world. If only the people who needed to read it did so. Sadly, they prefer to ban it unread.
Apparently we’re not “woke” enough to grasp the coded calls to white supremacy and bigotry contained therein.
We still provide federal and state money to universities and other schools where the practices of shutting down reasonable speech that isn’t approved by various mobs is SOP. Mobs will be mobs. Why do we allow our elected governments to subsidize them?
One of the major purposes for Peterson to be hearalded as an excellent author and speaker has to do with the fact that he helps all of us who so desire to re-wire our brains so that our political responses come from a place of logic.
Logic is inherently heretical to the goals of the opposition. According to the people like AOC who are now being held up as leaders of the new movement, what is most important for any citizen to adopt as a way of examining any and all issues is their feelings. Logic is suspect, and should be banished forever.
Babies crying at the border! Abolish ICE!!
The looming crisis of AI that will abolish jobs? Support universal income!!
The plight of young people who have not put together through self initiative a successful career strategy? Let’s state how they are the victims of white privilege and patriarchy!
Against this backdrop of the New Left’ s political goals, Peterson is an university derided anathema.
On edit: Today is an important day for those in the Center to re-examine the essential need for logic as a guiding principle in all things. It is the day when we realize that an investigation from Hillary’s people, against her successful contender who made a joke about Russia, became a full blown 300 million dollar, three year effort that came to nothing. All because President Trump’s victory hurt Ms Clinton’s teensie weensie feelings.