Book Byte #363 "Maps of Meaning" by Jordan B. Peterson
Jason Ziebarth
Founder of Club255 — Helping thousands of STEM Professionals Connect with Each Other, Build their Career and Defeat their Inner Critic.
The Architecture of Belief
?? Curious Quotes from the Author
“The purpose of life, as far as I can tell… is to find a mode of being that’s so meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant.”
“Of course, my socialist colleagues and I weren’t out to hurt anyone – quite the reverse. We were out to improve things – but we were going to start with other people. I came to see the temptation in this logic, the obvious flaw, the danger – but could also see that it did not exclusively characterize socialism. Anyone who was out to change the world by changing others was to be regarded with suspicion. The temptations of such a position were too great to be resisted.”
“The secret to your existence is right in front of you. It manifests itself as all those things you know you should do, but are avoiding.”
“Rejection of the unknown is tantamount to “identification with the devil,” the mythological counterpart and eternal adversary of the world-creating exploratory hero. Such rejection and identification is a consequence of Luciferian pride, which states: all that I know is all that is necessary to know. This pride is totalitarian assumption of omniscience – is adoption of “God’s place” by “reason” – is something that inevitably generates a state of personal and social being indistinguishable from hell. This hell develops because creative exploration – impossible, without (humble) acknowledgment of the unknown – constitutes the process that constructs and maintains the protective adaptive structure that gives life much of its acceptable meaning”
“We believe that in reducing the scope and importance of our errors, we are properly humble; in truth, we are merely unwilling to bear the weight of our true responsibility.”
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“Our behavioral patterns are exceedingly complex, and psychology is a young science. The scope of our behavioral wisdom exceeds the breadth of our explicit interpretation. We act, even instruct, and yet do not understand. How can we do what we cannot explain?”
“Life without law remains chaotic, effectively intolerable. Life that is pure law becomes sterile, equally unbearable. The domination of chaos or sterility equally breeds murderous resentment and hatred.”
“Something we cannot see protects us from something we do not understand. The thing we cannot see is culture, in its intrapsychic or internal manifestation. The thing we do not understand is the chaos that gave rise to culture. If the structure of culture is disrupted, unwittingly, chaos returns. We will do anything — anything — to defend ourselves against that return.”
?? Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea
Myths have been a source of meaning and guidance for people throughout history. The structure of many myths is similar, highlighting the hero's valiant foray into the unknown. By doing this, they set an example for both societal order and individual behavior. They show us how to find a meaningful life by defending us against the perils of intellectual haughtiness and ideological credulity.
Here are some practical suggestions. Develop your own interests. Your innate curiosity in the unknown is reflected in your particular interests. Like the legendary hero, you should explore your interests and answer the call of the unknown. You will become more unique as a result of this.
Until Tomorrow,
Jason (Founder Club255)