I recently finished reading the book "12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos" by the psychologist Professor Jordan. B. Peterson. There maybe some here who have also read it, or are at least familiar with it but I found it thought provoking & insightful, and it raises some very interesting strategies on how best to orient ourselves in the world . Would any members be interested in some posts/threads covering each of the 12 rules - I'm willing to present each rule myself - and opening up each one for discussion?
12 Rules For Life
- Thread starter Dark111
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This sounds very fascinating to me so I am very interested. But I do have to point out that when I come across "rules", my inclination is to find how they do not apply to me. That is both troubling as well as potentially liberating. I believe this is one of the things that goes to the core of me. I'm hoping that somehow this thread might address this. (Not familiar with the book though - would like to try to read it)
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I understand completely what you're saying, and that's why I found this book so refreshing. It takes more of a philosophical and nuanced approach, taking into account the grey areas of life, and giving form to complexity. No matter how crazy life gets, there are certain actions that may give us emotional satisfaction but ultimately just make things worse.
Sure, the base pleasures of life give us all emotional satisfaction. Well, actually, it's more chemical satisfaction. Tasty food releases dopamine, which is part of the reward system and so induces a craving for more of the same. Is that really satisfaction? And in pursuit of emotional satisfaction, we must make sacrifices. Eating our favorite most calorific food is certainly one example: Sure, once in a blue moon won't kill us but if it becomes a habit to indulge our craving it is at the price of weight gain and if continued over a certain length of time we also risk developing diabetes. Music, on the other hand, is there a sacrifice to be made there? What if getting lost in our music eats up our time to do more productive pursuits? These are all of course very rudimentary examples. Can you think of a time you derived emotional satisfaction by choosing to do something you truly shouldn't but thought to hell with it, the emotional high is worth the risk?
I don't know! There must be, I think, but I feel that things I should not have done were things that did not ever bring on good feelings. The exception to this was assaults on myself by whomever else exists in me. I realize most will say it's only me inside so any emotions inside are mine regardless of how I might experience it. To me it doesn't matter who is inside. I believe there is enough separation whatever that is, that it is equal to separate entities even if not. The result is my inability to know what my emotional experience is. It's distressing.
Like fucking constantly
Maybe I'll get the book @extraterrestrialone . I actually got a kindle recently as a gift, sooo, no excuses 🤷♀️
Below I have listed all of the 12 rules. If we people are interested we can explore them one by one and discuss Peterson's own thoughts regarding each
12 RULES FOR LIFE - Jordan B. Peterson
RULE 1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back
RULE 2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
RULE 3: Make friends with people who want the best for you
RULE 4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today
RULE 5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
RULE 6: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
RULE 7: Pursue what is meaningful(not what is expedient)
RULE 8: Tell the truth - or at least don't lie
RULE 9: Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don't
RULE 10: Be precise in your speech
RULE 11: Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
RULE 12: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
12 RULES FOR LIFE - Jordan B. Peterson
RULE 1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back
RULE 2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
RULE 3: Make friends with people who want the best for you
RULE 4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today
RULE 5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
RULE 6: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
RULE 7: Pursue what is meaningful(not what is expedient)
RULE 8: Tell the truth - or at least don't lie
RULE 9: Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don't
RULE 10: Be precise in your speech
RULE 11: Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
RULE 12: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
