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Is Jordan Peterson a fraud?

I originally gave his ideas a listen after a recommendation from a friend following the Cathy Newman interview. I read his book and watched some of his videos too. His self-help stuff seems genuinely useful but aha... he is not just a self-help guru because he has politics. I'll be more specific... he has very very bad and very stupid politics.

Someone needs to explain to me how Post-Modern-Neo-Marxism is supposed to work. I've read Marx and some post-modernism and they are not mutually compatible. Post-modernism is a fringe faction within social-science academia which is critical of power and also grand narratives, universal truth, and positivism. I don't get what it has to do with political correctness or a desire to define people as victim groups. I also don't get how it was supposed to take over the world, regain its Marxist aspects and also stay a fringe faction within social science academia.

I also don't get how Peterson can define all things he does not like as collectivist as therefore linked to Stalinism. Trans-gender activists apparently have the 'same philosophy' which has killed millions of people. The Google HR department is the same thing too. 🤷

What Peterson is doing is producing the same silly right-wing conspiracy theories and straw-man arguments of Glenn Beck and Alex Jones whilst repackaging it with a fake intellectual mystique. He might be a talented academic psychologist but his understanding of political theory wouldn't pass undergraduate standard. He doesn't use sources and his arguments do not hang together. I struggle to think that he does not understand the flaws in his own arguments.

He speaks confidently and he speaks well. He is an excellent clinical psychologist and his videos probably help turn some people's lives around. Its because of this he is a snake charmer who fools people who should know better into being uncritical of his very weak political ideas.
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CountScrofula · 41-45, M
Yeah, and you've given him FAR more time than I have. His political arguments are appallingly simple. The idea that Marxism and Postmodernism are somehow the same thing is a strong indication he doesn't understand either.

He also takes the vague ideas about the left I see on here from conservative users on here a lot, but tries to sound intellectual about them which just makes the whole thing some sort of farce.

His self help stuff is also boring and obvious, if useful advice. I don't see what's so urgent about it.

And finally, his entire career kicked off because he took a brave stand against a hypothetical situation he'd never dealt with in response to a law he ridiculously exaggerated.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CountScrofula I have a liberal intellectual friend who runs a book club I go to and he recommended it as something worth engaging with. I do like to see other people's ideas. Unfortunately, Peterson is really disappointing even in his own terms because under all the woo and gravitas it's just the same old right-wing BS. Chapo trap house are excellent at giving him the lack of respect he deserves.

Unfortunately, my friend still likes him. He also votes for Corbyn but is sympathetic to right-wing ideas on cultural issues. Some London Liberals think its cool and edgy to engage in such things. It sounds weird I guess but he is a nice guy.
GeistInTheMachine · 31-35, M
@Burnley123 Holy shit! Someone else who listens to Chapo!

I was just thinking of mentioning them, but I thought I'd come across as strange(r).

Nice to meet a fellow Gray Wolf.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@GeistInTheMachine I find them hilarious. We don't have anything like them in Britain unfortunately. I also don't get all their references but they are brutal at taking people down.

Their review of Ben Shapiro's book left me in stitches.
GeistInTheMachine · 31-35, M
@Burnley123 I don't understand a lot of their references either, because they're slightly older and nerdier than I am on average.

Still, they resonate with me intensely. My first and only Patreon subscription so far.

That book review was hilarious - Chapo Trap House is the only Podcast I can re-listen to and not get bored.

Someone should start a Chapo group on here. I searched breifly, and didn't find anything.

P.S. - I told you the crazies would come.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@GeistInTheMachine Seen him. Field of Dreams SW style. 😂
CountScrofula · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 Well there's one podcast I'm adding to my already bloated list!
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CountScrofula I could add more!

Can you recommend me a good North American one, apart from Jacobin?
CountScrofula · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 The Daily by the New York Times is probably the best news podcast in the US.

The Canadaland network of podcasts is great for a Canadian stuff. The main podcast (media criticism) or Commons (politics) probably.