BookSuma Publishing - Summary of 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

Summary of

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

By

BookSuma Publishing

2018 BookSuma Publishing

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Introduction to Jordan Petersons 12 Rules For Life

J ordan Peterson is a psychologist, author, cultural critic, and one of the planets most divisive public intellectuals. He is known for rejecting identity politics and, instead, focusing on individual responsibility. He gained notoriety in 2016 when he controversially voiced his objection to using gender neutral pronouns and was labeled a trans-phobic (which he denies). He is also a controversial figure amongst those who identify themselves as feminists, since he claims that modern feminism has gone off the rails.

Peterson published his second book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos in January 2018. The book quickly became a bestseller. David Brooks has called him one of the most influential thinks of modern times, Brendon OConnor labels him an academic rock star, and Pankel Mishra denounces him as a fascist.

Peterson says 12 Rules for Life is about individual responsibility, eternal truths, and how those truths can be applied to modern life. The book is, in many ways, a combination of Petersons intimate knowledge of human psychology combined with his lectures on religion and culture.

Please note that this guide is NOT meant to be a substitute for 12 Rules For Life but, instead, a supplement. It is best used to refresh yourself on the key principles found in the book and to enhance your understanding of the material.

Rule 1: Stand Up Straight

A ccording to Peterson , the brains neurochemistry determines who you psychologically react to things that happen in your life but, also, how you physically react. And, he says, this neurochemistry is the same neurochemistry that governs the behaviors of other animals too, including, for example, lobsters.

Since the beginning of time, the world has had limited resources. Its inhabitants have had to compete for food, shelter, space, and basically everything else thats needed for survival. Over time, animals have developed a mechanism to be used for conflict resolution. The purpose of the mechanism is to allow two competing individuals to resolve their conflict without incurring a great physical cost (such as serious injury or death). The mechanism can be observed in many animals and in humans. In humans, it is on display in business, sports, music, and any other field where one person might try to one-up another person. The result of the competition: a dominance hierarchy.

These dominance hierarchies have been around so long, that most animals, and especially humans, have developed an internal calculator to assess our own position in the hierarchy compared to particular others. This internal calculator affects the way we physically carry ourselves. When we have assessed ourselves to be lower than another or others, it showswe walk with our shoulders hunched, our feet heavy, our eyes down. But when we view ourselves to be higher than another or others, we perk up. We have our shoulders back, we step lightly on our feet, we look ahead of us confidently and make eye contact with others. All of this happens unconsciously.

We may not like that theres a dominance hierarchy, but its a fact of life. Its a permanent part of the animal environment and animals have adapted to it. its not about capitalism or patriarchy, it simply is.

Thats no comfort if youre at the bottom of the dominance hierarchy, though. Life is harder for those at the bottom, whether lobster or human. Low status humans and lobsters produce less serotonin, which means lower confidence levels, increase stress response, and poorer health. Interestingly, though, the way you physically carry yourself can also affect your neural circuits. Its a two-way street. When you feel that you are low in the dominance hierarchy and you carry yourself accordingly, it has a further negative affect on your brain chemicals. You then get caught up in a negative feedback loop which can eventually lead to all sorts of negative outcomes, like depression, relationship problems, and lack of motivation.

But when you act like a winnerwhen you stand up straight, put your shoulders back, keep your chin levelyou affect your brains circuitry in a positive way. Says Peterson, a lobster with high serotonin levels and low octopamine levels struts around confidently, doesnt back down as soon as challenged, stretches itself out so it can look as big as possible. It advances on other lobsters and fight long and hard. And when it does these things because it feel confident, the physical acts in turn increase his confidence.

According to Peterson, when you stand up straight with your shoulders back, you are telling yourself and the world that youre not afraid of life, no matter what it brings. It means that youve decided to take on chaos and conform it to something more habitable. It means being conscious of and accepting your vulnerability. It means accepting that youre not a child or helpless, that you are responsible for yourself, and that youre willing to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve your ends.

So the ultimate point is this: even if you dont feel confident right now, stand up straight. Walk confidently, with your chin up and your shoulders back. Dont allow yourself to shrink from the world. Let the serotonin flow through your brain.

Rule 2: Treat Yourself Like One You Are Responsible For Helping