The way Jordan Peterson has been treated by the media class from day 1 is highly symptomatic of where we are as a culture.
The fact is that a powerful minority want men to be weak, incompetent and feeble. They don't understand that in doing so they are sowing the seeds of their own and our entire society's downfall.
Did you notice that the most common question journalists tried to use against him was "the majority of your audience are men so bla bla". You can only ask that question if you believe there's something wrong with men. No one attacks make-up brands because the majority of their customers are women.
The attempt to undermine, subvert and problematise healthy masculinity is guaranteed to backfire.
First, it makes us vulnerable to OTHER cultures which raise men to be strong and capable. Second suppressing healthy masculinity only leads to other, mostly unhealthy, expressions of masculinity.
Have you noticed that there has been an explosion in men going to the gym specifically to look buff? This is largely a Western phenomenon. In former Soviet countries where I go regularly gyms are full of 1) young women who want to stay in shape and 2) middle aged guys with beer bellies trying to stave off a heart attack. Even in a gym, buff guys are a tiny minority.
This isn't a comment on the benefits or otherwise of men lifting weights, just an observation that in cultures where healthy masculinity is not demonised, men don't have to look for acceptable ways of expressing it.
But displaced masculinity can also come out in unhealthy ways too.
This is where Jordan came in and reminded men what being a man actually means: responsibility, duty, sacrifice, courage, honour.
And he was roundly attacked by journalists, mainly female ones, as being "divisive", "toxic" etc. FOR TELLING MEN TO BE BETTER.
Jordan isn't perfect, no one is. But his message was essential, especially for men. And they're trying to ruin his career for it.
Thank you KK. This is something that has been astonishing to me. J to the B (Peterson) does so much to promote good mental health. For this, he has been pilloried. I'm a woman, and I have grown so much from listening to his podcasts and reading his words. As a clinical social worker, I recommend his 12 rules for young men a lot. My colleagues don't like him. Funny, though, that back when I was on Facebook and posted his rules without numbers or reference, such as, "Make friends with people who want the best for you" - his rules got big love and likes. From the same people who profess to call him toxic and Patriarchal. Forget that he has helped a lot of young women to negotiate higher salaries. Oh well. Call me a bigot. I'm in camp JBP for the win.
Pam, JP does not seem "completely lost, devastated and broken" to me. I just see that he is much more in touch with his emotions and not embarrassed to show them since his illness. I see him as a man who like many of us, sees the darkness overtaking the world and at times is brought to tears at the suffering this causes to others. I admire his strength, his commitment to truth and his acknowledgement of the hill he is prepared to die on. Perfect? Of course not.