Jordan B. Peterson: Polymath, Books, and Psychedelic Insights

Jordan B. Peterson, a polymath psychologist and author, discusses the impact of influential figures like Sandy Notley and the significance of psychedelic experiences on human consciousness.

### Jordan B. Peterson: Wisdom, Books, and the Pandora's Box of Psychedelics
* 📚 Jordan B. Peterson, a polymath, has taught mythology to various professionals, consulted for the U.N., helped clients manage mental health issues, advised law firms, and **transformed personality psychology**.
* 📖 Books like Orwell's "1984" and Solzhenitsyn's "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" introduced him to **serious thought**, broadening his **perspective**.
* 🧠 According to Nietzsche, true morality involves **self-control and courage**, not merely **obedience or fear**.
* 😌 Peterson's ability to maintain composure during adversarial situations stems from his **clinical psychology background** and **curiosity in understanding people's intentions**.
* 😡 Resentment, as Peterson describes in his book "Beyond Order," can signal **unaddressed issues or the need to mature**.
* 🏠 Peterson's advice to "**clean up your room**" reflects his belief in starting with **personal responsibility** before criticizing social institutions.
* 🍄 Having studied psychopharmacology and religious experiences, Peterson is cautious about the societal impact of psychedelics, given the **unpredictable nature of their effects**.
* 🎨 Openness, a personality trait associated with **creativity and intellectual curiosity**, can be a double-edged sword, especially for those high in **neuroticism**.

### Jordan Peterson on Psilocybin, the Bible, and the Meaning of Life
* 🍄 "Psilocybin, you take one dose and have a **mystical experience**, and you move from 50th percentile openness to **85th percentile** with one dose. It's a **major neurological rewiring**, it's stunning."
* 📖 "Our culture grew out of the bible, it's grounded in the bible, for better or worse. So if you want to know who you are and why you think the way you think, you think you know the way you think, you think you think you don't or **very rarely**."
* 🐉 "The hero's journey is what everyone knows. It's easy to be cynical about that, but, well, it's not that easy, because if you're cynical about that, then **you undermine your own life**."
* "As far as I can tell, in the world of value, the value world has two broad components: **order and chaos**."
* 👨 "Find a partner and stick with them, you know, that's hard. Try to **make yourself into better people** if you can. **Have kids, have grandkids**."
* 📚 "When I wrote Maps of Meaning, I said, well, I was interested in **malevolence**. These horror shows that characterize the 20th century constrain **malevolence**. And so, if you study **malevolence**, you start to understand what the **opposite** of that is."
* 🌌 "The deepest values are religious. It's, in fact, you could say that that's a **definition**, is that the deepest values are religious."
* 💬 "I hope what I wrote in Beyond Order is true. You know, and if it's true, it should do some good, because **what's true does good**."

Jordan Peterson on Rules for Life, Psychedelics, The Bible, and Much More | The Tim Ferriss Show

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Peterson, a polymath, is a renowned figure known for his extensive work in teaching, consulting, and writing.

He was deeply influenced by Sandy Notley, a New England intellectual and wife of the leader of the NDP, who introduced him to a wide range of impactful books at a young age.

These early exposures to literature, including works by Huxley, Orwell, and Solzhenitsyn, played a significant role in shaping Peterson's thinking and setting the stage for his future career in psychology and writing.

The Value of Books and Morality, According to a Clinical Psychologist

The guest's website's list of recommended books is extremely popular and has a significant educational value for readers, introducing them to psychologically enthralling works.

The guest discusses Nietzsche's idea that most morality is driven by cowardice and the distinction between obedience and true morality.

The guest attributes his ability to maintain composure in the face of adversity to his background as a clinical psychologist, extensive practice, and a natural curiosity in observing people's behavior.

Resentment and anger are both stressful emotions, but resentment indicates a need for personal growth or to address a situation where someone is encroaching on your territory.

Resentment can be a useful guide for self-improvement and should be addressed to avoid long-term negative effects.

Addressing resentment and conflict may be uncomfortable, but avoiding it only allows the situation to worsen, making it important to confront and resolve these emotions.

The Importance of Order in Domestic Relationships

Disorder in the home, especially in the kitchen, can indicate underlying problems in the relationship.

Addressing the chaos and having difficult conversations is crucial for establishing genuine peace.

Jordan Peterson emphasizes the significance of traditional social structures and meaningful life patterns in reducing suffering and finding purpose.

The Importance of Taking Personal Responsibility

Taking responsibility at a local level is a crucial step for making a meaningful impact in the community.

It is more important to focus on putting your own life together before trying to enact widespread social change.

Personal competence and experience should be prioritized over ideological activism.

The Impact of Psychedelics on Openness and Creativity

Psychedelics have a profound impact on openness, increasing creativity and verbal fluency, but potentially causing identity struggles.

High openness can be a challenge for individuals with high negative emotion, leading to anxiety and physiological strain in the face of uncertainty.

Psychedelics, like psilocybin, have the ability to induce mystical experiences and significantly increase openness with just one dose, leading to a major neurological rewiring.

The Mysterious Nature of Hallucinogenic Experiences

Hallucinogens have disqualifying criteria for use in psilocybin studies, such as schizophrenia and family history of it, due to the risk of inducing paranoid schizophrenia.

On the other hand, these substances have shown positive effects on acute anxiety in terminal cancer patients, potentially leading to a life-changing shift in openness.

The deeply strange and mysterious nature of hallucinogenic experiences challenges our understanding of reality, consciousness, and the religious instinct, leaving researchers puzzled about how to interpret and integrate these unique subjective experiences.

The Symbolism of the Tree of Life in Shamanic Culture

The tree of life symbolizes the intersection of order and chaos in shamanic beliefs, serving as a path to transcendence.

There is a long-standing tradition of using psychoactive drugs to achieve altered states of consciousness in shamanic practices.

The concept of ontological shock and the use of psychoactive substances are linked to the potential for both terror and awe in spiritual experiences.

The Significance of Deep Values and Religious Stories

Encountering deep values, especially religious ones, can cause a profound impact as they challenge our fundamental beliefs and assumptions.

The Bible is seen as a religious document that holds wisdom and provides answers to some of life's deepest questions.

Jordan Peterson, in his lectures, aims to communicate and solve important questions, using storytelling as a way to engage and transmit durable messages.

Writing the book served as a life raft for the author during a difficult life transition, providing invaluable anchor and structure.

The search for meaning is discussed, emphasizing the importance of finding value and prioritizing actions.

The author's self-authoring program is highlighted as a useful tool for people to assess their traits and make plans for the future.

Dealing with Chaos and Order in Human Experience

Struggling with failure can lead to feelings of worthlessness, especially for those who are clinically depressed.

Balancing chaos and order is crucial, as an excess of either can be overwhelming.

Mythological symbols, like the hero's journey, represent the eternal human struggle to overcome challenges and find meaning.

The Power of Love and Truth in Creating a Positive Impact

The speaker's new book aims to have a positive effect on people, similar to the feedback from the previous one, by promoting the values of love and truth.

The book is inspired by the idea that embracing truth and taking responsibility can lead to personal transformation and a sense of accountability.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of conscience, truth, and love in guiding individuals toward a meaningful and impactful life.