The idea that Russia is part of the West is exactly the opposite of what Vladimir Putin believes. There is a longstanding debate among Russians about whether Russia is part of Europe. The first principle of Putinism is that Russia is decidedly NOT part of Europe. Attempting to bring Russia into the European fold is the essence of what it means to be anti-Russian, according to Putin's worldview. So, Putin does not see himself fighting in a civil war with fellow Western nations. He sees himself as fighting a war of preemptive defense against decadent Western liberalism, an ideology alien to Russia.
Until a few weeks ago, Jordan Peterson was a champion of Western liberal values, such as freedom of expression. I find it the height of irony that he is now defending Putin, a self-declared enemy of those same values.
Russian paranoia about invasion from the West is kind of a national tradition. It doesn't require any particular historical context, nor is it much impressed by the fact that every invasion across that particular border since Operation Barbarosa has been a Russian invasion of Western neighbors. Sure, it's irrational. But then, for a long time American foreign policy was motivated by the equally bizarre notion that our own independence was threatened by a Communist government coming to power in a small country on the other side of the world.
And this is a time of great social, spiritual, and philosophical change in the West. Not all of it is positive or beneficial. Petersen and those like him are (ahem) not wrong when they suggest that not every change in cultural attitudes is automatically positive, and that tradition and cultural values may not be altogether worthless. To be sure, in Putin's mind the West about which he is predisposed to be paranoid often seems these days to regard moral and cultural change in and of themselves to be positive things.. In Putin's mind, the connection between the destruction of traditional values may combine with his cultural paranoia about the West to convince him that aggressive war and systemic war crimes are justified by it. There is a certain similarity in the tendency of the NatCons see any moral price as worth paying if it obstructs the flood of historical change. Just look at the way so may religious conservatives have been willing to trash the Ten Commandments and virtually everything Jesus taught in order to better oppose abortion.
The thing is, the connection doesn't exist. Just as opposition to abortion shouldn't logically (or ethically) translate into Trump-worship, neither does the lack of thoughtfulness of which we in the West are sometimes guilty in embracing social and ethical change justify the crime Putin is committing against Ukraine. Petersen may very well be right in at least some of his critique of contemporary Western culture. But that certainly doesn't translate into justification of or even sympathy for what Putin is doing in Ukraine.
Peterson seemed more grounded in his job as college professor than political pundit. I kind of see his weakness is his intuition which is very good at lining up unrelated things into a pattern which is NOT a pattern, but one little random aspect of reality, and "seeing patterns" is what allows you to raise up bullies as heroes and ignore everything that doesn't fit the pattern.
Thanks. Great piece. Peterson is another alt-right fascist at heart. Nothing surprising at all. Murder and mayhem in the pursuit of some cultural purity is core rightwing ideology these days.
What is the point of paying attention to Peterson?
But I have to push back on "there are no mass graves filled with the victims of the culture wars". Graves no, but thousands of mutilated and sterilized children, yes. Which is why, at age 66 and having voted straight Democrat all my life, I am now voting straight Republican.
Excellent piece Tom! And thank you for your efforts to help Ukrainians!
He is not an intellectual anymore, and not even a lifestyle coach. He is now into right-wing culture warrior collectivism and Patreon opportunism
The idea that Russia is part of the West is exactly the opposite of what Vladimir Putin believes. There is a longstanding debate among Russians about whether Russia is part of Europe. The first principle of Putinism is that Russia is decidedly NOT part of Europe. Attempting to bring Russia into the European fold is the essence of what it means to be anti-Russian, according to Putin's worldview. So, Putin does not see himself fighting in a civil war with fellow Western nations. He sees himself as fighting a war of preemptive defense against decadent Western liberalism, an ideology alien to Russia.
Until a few weeks ago, Jordan Peterson was a champion of Western liberal values, such as freedom of expression. I find it the height of irony that he is now defending Putin, a self-declared enemy of those same values.
Russian paranoia about invasion from the West is kind of a national tradition. It doesn't require any particular historical context, nor is it much impressed by the fact that every invasion across that particular border since Operation Barbarosa has been a Russian invasion of Western neighbors. Sure, it's irrational. But then, for a long time American foreign policy was motivated by the equally bizarre notion that our own independence was threatened by a Communist government coming to power in a small country on the other side of the world.
And this is a time of great social, spiritual, and philosophical change in the West. Not all of it is positive or beneficial. Petersen and those like him are (ahem) not wrong when they suggest that not every change in cultural attitudes is automatically positive, and that tradition and cultural values may not be altogether worthless. To be sure, in Putin's mind the West about which he is predisposed to be paranoid often seems these days to regard moral and cultural change in and of themselves to be positive things.. In Putin's mind, the connection between the destruction of traditional values may combine with his cultural paranoia about the West to convince him that aggressive war and systemic war crimes are justified by it. There is a certain similarity in the tendency of the NatCons see any moral price as worth paying if it obstructs the flood of historical change. Just look at the way so may religious conservatives have been willing to trash the Ten Commandments and virtually everything Jesus taught in order to better oppose abortion.
The thing is, the connection doesn't exist. Just as opposition to abortion shouldn't logically (or ethically) translate into Trump-worship, neither does the lack of thoughtfulness of which we in the West are sometimes guilty in embracing social and ethical change justify the crime Putin is committing against Ukraine. Petersen may very well be right in at least some of his critique of contemporary Western culture. But that certainly doesn't translate into justification of or even sympathy for what Putin is doing in Ukraine.
At this point I have just stopped listening to anything Peterson has to say and my life is better for it.
What a strange rationalization of an obviously brutal and violent aggression.
I wonder if he'd make the case for Palestinians invading Israel because of its degenerate western values.
I dunno. Maybe he's back on the yam yam.
Peterson did his drug rehab in a Russian hospital. I think he may have allegiance issues.
Peterson seemed more grounded in his job as college professor than political pundit. I kind of see his weakness is his intuition which is very good at lining up unrelated things into a pattern which is NOT a pattern, but one little random aspect of reality, and "seeing patterns" is what allows you to raise up bullies as heroes and ignore everything that doesn't fit the pattern.
Thanks. Great piece. Peterson is another alt-right fascist at heart. Nothing surprising at all. Murder and mayhem in the pursuit of some cultural purity is core rightwing ideology these days.
What is the point of paying attention to Peterson?
But I have to push back on "there are no mass graves filled with the victims of the culture wars". Graves no, but thousands of mutilated and sterilized children, yes. Which is why, at age 66 and having voted straight Democrat all my life, I am now voting straight Republican.
Thank you. Did not know this. I was made aware of the low level of mental capability that Peterson really has. Still, shocking how crazy this is
Whatever may or may not be the harm or benefit of transitioning, the harm to kids from Republican policies is orders of magnitude greater.
He is so far gone now (Peterson). Was it the all meat diet?? F*cking guy looks visibly physically ill...😳🙄 too.
I consider the source, but this doesn't sound like a diatribe.
https://www.heritage.org/gender/commentary/sex-reassignment-doesnt-work-here-the-evidence
Peterson is not wrong here
Peterson is not wrong