Philosophical musings on Quanta & Qualia;  Materialism & Spiritualism; Science & Religion; Pragmatism & Idealism, etc.

Thought Crimes Jordan Peterson and the Meaning of the Meaning of Life

by Stephen Beckner
Skeptic Magazine v23no3

Crisis of Meaning
is the new
Existential Angst

 Post 58. November 20, 2018

    Another Crisis of Meaning

    21st Century Existential Angst

 In a continuation of Skeptic magazine's investigation of the "Jordan Peterson Phenomenon", Stephen Beckner discusses why Peterson's post-postmodern pep-talks have struck a nerve among young people, who are not so much politically right-wing as philosophically disenchanted with PostModernism's cynical devaluation of values in general. PM seems to have inherited some of its distaste for traditional values from 20th century Marxism1. So, for those seeking more substantial grounds for their purpose in life, JP returns to the good old Pre-Modern values of the Old Testament, among other mythical & archtypal models for morality and strict rules for the upright life2. He's a practicing psychologist, so his approach is not overtly religious, but it does dwell more on metaphysics than physics.

Personally, I was more impressed with Beckner's literary analysis of the current Crisis of Meaning than with any particular Rules for Living proposed for the "New Sincerity Movement". Below, I have given my own rambling thoughts in response to quotes from the article.

1. “. . . myths-as-vessels-of-transcendent-wisdom”

   The presumption of access to transcendent wisdom is the key to the power of scripture and magic. Myths do indeed encapsulate human concerns and recurring themes in poetic language, but their wisdom remains mundane & subjective instead of transcendent & objective. Mythical archetypes were prescientific attempts to simplify the complexity of reality. The scientific updates are too nuanced (rational, technical & conditional) for the layman’s simplistic intuition. Popular Fiction tends to boil complex situations down to symbolic black hats versus white hats.

2. “wedded to this new notion of mysticism as a form of occult technology was the theme of embarking on a quest and returning with the gift of knowledge.”

   The Gnostic claim of access to supernatural knowledge is common throughout the history of priestly & shamanistic mysticism3. But their myths and magic tend to distract with smoke & mirrors from the real truth of what's going on.  The wisps of wisdom offered are usually simplistic platitudes twisted to sound novel to the young or uninformed. The technology of magic is psychological manipulations of simple minds.

3. “ this generation's crisis of meaning . . . may be meaning itself.”

   Each generation's adolescent uncertainty is how to find or create its own purpose in life4. Some find meaning in a religious commitment to a better world in heaven; others are inspired to create a better world here on Earth. In any case, the key to meaningful motivation is sincerity, or at least the ability to fake it.

4. “irony as meaning-negating force.”  “weaponized irony”

   A common cynical response to the idealism & earnestness of inspired youth is cutting sarcasm. It's a way to expose the presumed hypocrisy of Idealism in a Real world. But it denies the possibility that Reality can be moved closer to Ideality. Which is why the BothAnd attitude combines realism & idealism, naivete & sohistication. It’s a balancing act.

   Irony is insightful, and sometimes humorous. But Sarcasm is penetrating and damaging to the other guy – funny, as long as you're not the other guy. Sarcasm makes you seem superior to the deluded fools.

Blog Post 58 continued . . . click Next

1. The PostModern     Critique
PM was cynical of Religion & Tradition, and sarcastic toward Modernism’s naïve faith in civilized progress through science & technology. Marxism asserted that human progress resulted from social struggle and class conflict.
http://bothandblog2.enformationism.info/page13.html

2. Forward to the Past :
Peterson seems to see Enlightenment Modernism and Dis-enchanted Post-modernism as deviations from the true enlightenment of ancient wisdom, as presented in Myths and Scriptures.
   Certainly, we should learn from the past, both its successed and its failures. But abandoning the wisdom of the present would be self-defeating. Like leaving your car in reverse so you can go back to get something you forgot. So I hope his pep-talks are simply reminders of forgotten values that can supplement, not replace, the values of Modernism and Humanism.

3. Ignostic
    Pseudo-science :
Gnosticism in all it’s forms, from ancient shamanism to modern Masonry, maintains its illusion of access to occult secrets, by with-holding the highest wisdom from the masses. Making the adepts seem superior by veiling their strange ideas in vague-but-suggestive imagery & vocabulary. Scientology is based on that same hierarchical ladder of obfuscation.

4. Existential Angst :
   “A life crisis is about comparing our reality with the story we’ve told ourselves about meaning and purpose. . . .
   We know who we are in terms of character and personality. We just don’t know what our place in the universe is, or what we’re supposed to do with our time here. . . .
   Unhelpfully, this means we have no guidebook, scorecard, or firm moorings.”
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-meaning-of-existential-angst
   In his 12 Rules for Life, Peterson offers a guide to establishing meaning by adopting a persona from ancient archetypes, myths, and metaphors.