This Speech Will NEVER Be Forgotten | Delivered In Tears by Jordan Peterson
The article is a theoretical piece.
The article is a speech delivered by Jordan Peterson about the importance of accepting responsibility, finding meaning, and striving to improve oneself and the world. He argues that life is fundamentally difficult and tainted by tragedy and malevolence, but that paying attention and learning to emulate admirable qualities can lead to a more fulfilling and less destructive life.
Main topics: Responsibility, meaning, self-improvement, community, adversity, morality.
Secondary topics: Cynicism, evil, admiration, imitative behavior, harmonious living, good and evil.
- Introduction
- The fundamental incontrovertible fact in life: Life is suffering
- Cynicism and the progression in life
- The need for wisdom to overcome tragedy and malevolence
- The importance of paying attention and the instinct for admiration
- Making things worse versus making things better
- The antidote to catastrophe: Meaningful lives through responsibility and harmony among levels
- Conclusion
The Importance of Paying Attention to the Fundamental Incontrovertible Fact of Life
Jordan Peterson speaks on the fundamental fact of life: suffering. He notes that whether one likes it or not, tragedy lurks beneath the surface of most people's lives. Eventually, everyone encounters suffering and must learn to cope with it. The issue is that cynicism is not a useful antidote to tragedy and malevolence. Rather, one must develop wisdom while navigating difficult times to keep from becoming vengeful or cruel.
Peterson stresses the importance of paying attention rather than solely relying on one's personal beliefs. He encourages individuals to examine their instincts for admiration and imitation when seeking guidance in life. Peterson suggests admiring individuals who are able to take responsibility for themselves and those around them. This, according to Peterson, leads to developing a character that is not rooted in cynicism but rather an ethos of harmony among levels including oneself, the family, and the community.
Furthermore, Peterson emphasizes that finding fundamental meaning is an important aspect of life, psychologically and practically. One can participate in bringing good into the world and make a positive impact. By accepting responsibility and lifting the load, one can improve the world and live a meaningful life. In doing so, one is not only preventing corruption and tragedy from taking over but also providing medication against catastrophic events. Thus, Peterson's speech serves as a reminder of the importance of paying attention, cultivating wisdom, and finding meaning in life in the face of suffering and tragedy.
The information in this article can influence various areas of knowledge such as psychology, philosophy, and religion. Peterson emphasizes the fact that life is full of suffering, which is a fundamental truth in many religious beliefs. He also explores the progression of life from naivety to cynicism to wisdom, and the importance of paying attention to what we already know in order to navigate through life.
One area of knowledge that complements this information is sociology, as it deals with how individuals and groups interact and form societies. Understanding the human condition and the struggle with suffering can help us better understand sociological phenomena such as inequality and social issues.
The author of the article does not provide specific examples of how to move from cynicism to wisdom, leaving room for interpretation and personal reflection. Additionally, the article lacks scientific evidence or research to support its claims.
One contradiction in the article is that Peterson suggests the importance of finding meaning and purpose in life but also acknowledges the dark and dreadful realities of life. It may be difficult for some individuals to find meaning in a world that is full of suffering and tragedy.
Question 1:
What does Jordan Peterson believe is the primary axiom of religious belief?
"the fundamental incontrovertible fact is that life is suffering and I think that that's why that's a primary axiom of religious belief in some sense almost regardless of the faith that life is suffering and everyone knows that although they don't necessarily like to admit it or to talk about it."
Question 2:
What is the progression in life that Jordan Peterson mentions?
"if you're naive you think that life will be easy and that people are basically good and then you have some experiences if you're not sheltered too much and that gets taken away from you because you betray yourself or other people betray you or or you encounter a tragedy and then your naivety is shattered and the most likely place that you'll go from there is into something approximating cynicism because you don't know the alternative."
Question 3:
What is the difference between thinking and paying attention according to Jordan Peterson?
"there is a difference between thinking and paying attention and of the two paying attention is much more important."
Question 4:
What is the antidote to the catastrophe of life and how does it practically improve the world?
"when you're in that place where you're acting in the proper manner and you're facing things courageously and you're speaking the truth you're imbued with a sense of fundamental meaning and that meaning is the antidote to the catastrophe of life and it's the it's the antidote psychologically because you have to have that meaning because otherwise your life is too dark and too dreadful and it will corrupt you so it's the antidote psychologically but it's also the antidote practically because we're not nothing as human beings... if we accept our responsibility to ourselves and to other people and to our communities and we lift that load up then we live lives that are meaningful and that stops us from being corrupt it provides us with the medication against catastrophe and it also practically improves the world."
Outline for Quiz 1
- a. Life is happiness
- b. Life is struggle
- c. Life is love
- d. Life is success Correct answer: b
- a. Naivety, cynicism, wisdom
- b. Wisdom, cynicism, naivety
- c. Happiness, tragedy, suffering
- d. Success, inspiration, happiness Correct answer: a
- a. Naivety
- b. Cynicism
- c. Wisdom
- d. Courage Correct answer: c
Question 1: What is the fundamental incontroversible fact?
Question 2: What is the progression in life?
Question 3: According to the text, what is the antidote to the catastrophe of life?
Outline for Quiz 2
- a. An instinct for love
- b. An instinct for imitation
- c. An instinct for cynicism
- d. An instinct for selfishness Correct answer: b
- a. Someone who won't take responsibility for themselves
- b. Someone who takes responsibility for themselves
- c. Someone who is cynical
- d. Someone who is selfish Correct answer: b
- a. An individual-focused ethos
- b. A community-focused ethos
- c. A family-focused ethos
- d. An ethos of harmony among levels Correct answer: d
Question 1: What is the instinct for admiration?
Question 2: Who is someone that you admire?
Question 3: What is the ethos of harmony according to the text?
Outline for Quiz 3
- a. It provides us with the medication against catastrophe
- b. It makes us more cynical
- c. It reinforces our naivety
- d. It makes us selfish Correct answer: a
- a. Our acceptance of responsibility
- b. Our ability to make things better
- c. Our sense of fundamental meaning
- d. All of the above Correct answer: d
- a. To improve our psychological well-being
- b. To make the world a better place
- c. To show off
- d. None of the above Correct answer: b
Question 1: What is the practical effect of accepting our responsibility to ourselves and others?
Question 2: What is the reason for hope?
Question 3: What is the purpose of participating in the process of bringing the good into being?
- Pay attention to what you already know: By paying attention to what we already know, we can identify the factors that make us admire or despise a person's actions. Utilizing this insight, we can make better choices for ourselves and our communities.
- Take responsibility for yourself: In order to move forward in life, one must take responsibility for their actions. Neglecting responsibility can lead to a deep sense of guilt and hurt.
- Move past cynicism: Though cynicism can be a stepping stone in growth, it is vital to move past it to progress in life. Cynicism, when taken too far, can lead to cruelty and bitterness.
- Forge your character: Our character is forged by continually putting ourselves in difficult situations and making good choices. To build a harmonious life, one must prioritize their family, community, and themselves equally.
- Find fundamental meaning: Finding a sense of fundamental meaning can help provide the antidote against the darkness and tragedy of life. It helps us face mortality, catastrophe, and malevolence, creating a reason for hope.
The best tip to include in daily life is to take responsibility for oneself since it is something we can change immediately. By taking responsibility for our actions, we learn to hold ourselves accountable and give ourselves the ability to grow and make positive choices for ourselves and our communities.