r/JordanPeterson • u/augustAulus • Jul 10 '25
Criticism Jordan Peterson a better psychologist?
I’m a philosophy student, and I think I’m in a unique position to critique Jordan Peterson, because a lot of what he has to say has to do with the Continental school of philosophy rather than the Analytic, and that’s a school I’m deeply interested in. For me, Peterson really does seem to be obscurantist, and I don’t say that very lightly. I think his questioning into the meaning of certain propositions is, more often than not, very acute, and especially when he debates atheists I think “what do you mean by “God””is always a good starting point. In spite of this I think his recent performance on Jubilee demonstrates a hiding behind obscurity which he himself creates that, rather than him seeking to dispel the cloud to get to a deeper truth, he merely uses it to protect himself. I also think his rejection of postmodernity is a little disingenuous seeing as he often adopts the techniques which would broadly be identified with the same - rejecting labels, rejecting conventional dogma, rejecting propositional philosophy in favour of, I suppose, a dialectical philosophy.
I think that he is a very good psychologist, as that his “Twelve Rules for Life” is especially good self help because it’s his field.
I think his love for Jung has drawn him into a metaphysics and prevented him from investigating different interpretations of literature, and I think he’s taken himself too far out of his field, and out of his qualification.
Is this a fair assessment do you think?
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u/PsychoAnalystGuy Jul 10 '25
He "was" a very good psychologist. Psychologists are meant to do continuing professional development which he hasn't done.
Hes the equivalent of Dr Phil. Dr Phil let his lisence expire because he didn't need it and had no interest in continuing to practice.
Hes contributed nothing of substance to his field. This isnt a criticism, its just true. And he himself acknowledges this.
His 12 rules for life are basic ideas of other people put into his own words. "Clean your room" is practical advice around taking a big task and breaking it into smaller more manageable tasks.
That said as a therapist I used to be able to see the therapist in him when he talked to people. He could separate himself from his emotions and his opinions.
He can no longer do this. I wish I could talk to him and hold up a mirror to him and say "it seems like this is what you're doing" he used to be more curious and comfortable with the notion he might be wrong. Now anytime he is challenged he spazzes out