As you might expect, controversy has followed, most recently having to do with a negative review about his book. In response to a New York Review of Books essay by the Indian novelist and essayist Pankaj Mishra titled, “Jordan Peterson & Fascist Mysticism,” Peterson tweeted at Mishra: “And you call me a fascist? You sanctimonious prick. If you were in my room at the moment, I’d slap you happily.”
I thought the Mishra piece was terrible and wondered why NYRB had published it. Niall Ferguson recently threatened to sue Mishra for libel after he accused Ferguson of racism in a piece he wrote for the London Review of Books.
For what it’s worth, Peterson doesn’t see himself as a conservative, so much as a “terrified traditionalist” who generally believes in exercising caution over endorsing sweeping or radical cultural changes.Sounds like me.
Have you read the Peterson book, Frank? Anyone?
ReplyDeleteI have it and I've read most of the first chapter. I have also seen a good bit of him on YouTube. He seems to have found a gold mine by rediscovering common sense. He does seem to be a very good teacher. He is certainly unflappable. What is most interesting is the over-the-top reactions to what he says, most of which seems to me unexceptional. But maybe that's just because I'm old.
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