Jordan Peterson in his own words
I’ve been spending the past many years writing about – and fighting with – actual neo-Nazis, so I haven’t had much time for fringe cases like Jordan Peterson and Faith Goldy fan Lindsay Shepherd.
But I’ve certainly noted that the far Right – the hardcore neo-Nazis and white supremacists – sure like to reference Peterson and Shepherd a lot. To them, these fringe types are the intellectualized version of their expressed prejudices. (And, it hasn’t helped that otherwise-intelligent media/academic people have been sucked in by Peterson and Shepherd.)
So, I did a few minutes of research on Peterson. This is what I found, with sources. There will be more to come, as I find (or get sent) more. Almost immediately, I didn’t see him as transphobic as much as he’s a misogynist.
- Peterson on women: “[Society is] increasingly dominated by a view of masculinity that’s mostly characteristic of women who have terrible personality disorders and who are unable to have healthy relationships with men.” (Slate)
- Peterson on femininity: “[That] terrible femininity…is undermining the masculine power of the culture in a way that’s, I think, fatal.” (Slate)
- Peterson on misogyny: “The idea that women were oppressed throughout history is an appalling theory.” (Toronto Life)
- Peterson on abortion: “Abortion is clearly wrong. I don’t think anyone debates that. You wouldn’t recommend that someone you love have one.” (Bridgehead)
- Peterson on inclusion: “It’s not the role of society to make people feel included. That’s not the role of society.” (CBC)
- Peterson on protecting people from gender discrimination: “[It is an] assault on biology and an implicit assault on the idea of the objective world.” (C2C)
- Peterson on how women are neurotic: “Women are higher when it comes to Agreeableness — wanting everyone to get along…and Neuroticism — higher in negative emotion…” (The Spectator)
- Peterson on LGBT people: “They’re power-mad people who use compassion as a disguise.” (The Star)
- Peterson on being impolite: “There’s this strong compulsion to be polite. And not to purposefully offend someone. And I think that polite compulsion is being hijacked by power-mad leftists. In fact I’m certain of it.” (The Star)
- Peterson on not caring if he’s offending anyone: “I think that people need to be able to say whatever they want no matter how outrageous.” (The Globe)
- Peterson on why everyone would’ve likely supported Hitler at the time: “If you think that you wouldn’t be tempted by having 20 million people worship you, then you don’t know yourself at all.” (Forward)
- Peterson on why he can’t use violence against women, but would apparently like to: “I’m defenceless against that kind of female insanity because the techniques that I would use against a man who was employing those tactics are forbidden to me.” (The Varsity)
