CHE: What's So Dangerous About Jordan Peterson?
Surprisingly balanced.
Peterson has some really good things to say, but I certainly disagree with him about a lot of stuff, too. It's a creepy, creepy, terrifying, gut-wrenching sign of the times that he's basically the only recognizable academician standing up and speaking the truth about this insanity--saying that sex-changes are currently impossible...and that you damn sure can't effect one by changing clothes.
I fear he's wavering on the pronoun argument--and I don't think he quite understands that terrain as well as he might, anyway. He leans too heavily on arguments against pronoun laws, and he's begun to waver on more fundamental points: men don't become women by saying so, and 'he', 'she', etc. are pronouns linked to sex, not gender. So it is insane to insist that we are under some obligation to refer to e.g. Caitlyn Jenner with feminine pronouns. (Yes, feminine is a gender--but that's a linguistic category. Feminine pronouns refer to female creatures.) If you want to call Jenner 'she', you can do so...it's a free country. Nobody's denying that it's permissible to misuse English and say inaccurate things that presuppose falsehoods--if you want to do that, nobody's trying to stop you. You can say that Jenner is a toaster if you like. The point is: those of us who don't want to play along with the fantasy can't be compelled to do so. And we aren't doing anything wrong by refusing to pretend that night is day. Now...you're being dumb if you do play along...but that's your right. Worse, though, you're propping up a disastrous political ideology and the insane philosophy it presupposes. You're like someone who helps to prop up Scientology because you don't want to be rude to people who are feigning disability as a way of manipulating people to say and do things they want them to say and do. Which is your right, legally speaking...but it's wrong. There are certain circumstances under which it might be best, all things considered, not to make an issue of such things...but that's a whole other discussion.
Peterson has some really good things to say, but I certainly disagree with him about a lot of stuff, too. It's a creepy, creepy, terrifying, gut-wrenching sign of the times that he's basically the only recognizable academician standing up and speaking the truth about this insanity--saying that sex-changes are currently impossible...and that you damn sure can't effect one by changing clothes.
I fear he's wavering on the pronoun argument--and I don't think he quite understands that terrain as well as he might, anyway. He leans too heavily on arguments against pronoun laws, and he's begun to waver on more fundamental points: men don't become women by saying so, and 'he', 'she', etc. are pronouns linked to sex, not gender. So it is insane to insist that we are under some obligation to refer to e.g. Caitlyn Jenner with feminine pronouns. (Yes, feminine is a gender--but that's a linguistic category. Feminine pronouns refer to female creatures.) If you want to call Jenner 'she', you can do so...it's a free country. Nobody's denying that it's permissible to misuse English and say inaccurate things that presuppose falsehoods--if you want to do that, nobody's trying to stop you. You can say that Jenner is a toaster if you like. The point is: those of us who don't want to play along with the fantasy can't be compelled to do so. And we aren't doing anything wrong by refusing to pretend that night is day. Now...you're being dumb if you do play along...but that's your right. Worse, though, you're propping up a disastrous political ideology and the insane philosophy it presupposes. You're like someone who helps to prop up Scientology because you don't want to be rude to people who are feigning disability as a way of manipulating people to say and do things they want them to say and do. Which is your right, legally speaking...but it's wrong. There are certain circumstances under which it might be best, all things considered, not to make an issue of such things...but that's a whole other discussion.
posted by Winston Smith at
8:46 AM
1 Comments:
On the topic of Jordan Peterson, his recent interview with Cathy Newman is really worthwhile as a case study in SJW anti-intellectualism. This quillette piece is a good summary of the fallout, but it's worth viewing the interview first to be in awe of the mental infirmity on display.
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