The obvious question that will arise, as regards this text, is: why do it? Why co-author a book on Jordan Peterson?
The first answer is straightforward. Peterson, while not a philosopher of titanic significance, is an academic. In this sense, his ideas warrant rigorous response. He is also an important figure to the Right—indeed, it would be far more accurate to describe Peterson as the leader of the ‘Intellectual Dark Web’ than to describe Derrida, as Peterson does, as the ‘leader of the postmodernists’. Whatever his defects, Peterson represents an undeniable upgrade in this respect from previous models such as Milo Yiannopoulos. Who knows? Maybe one day the alt-right will get its Heidegger.
The second answer is slightly more complex. When I was first offered the opportunity to write about Peterson, I hesitated. At the time, I worried that the publication of a book such as this one would have the inadvertent consequence of legitimating his ideas (if you’ll pardon the arrogance implicit in the assumption that my commentary could have a legitimating effect!). Certainly, Peterson’s popularity owes a great deal to the attention that’s been given to him by what’s commonly described as the ‘Left’. Adherents of politically-correct, ‘callout culture’ have, in particular—and this is a matter of record—played an important role in advancing his agenda, with the ersatz outrage that accompanies many of his public statements doubtlessly helping to engender the impression that he must be important. Upon reflection, however, it occurred to me that—given his vast popularity, and the millions of books he’s sold—Peterson has already entrenched himself in the public imagination to a degree that does not allow ignoring him to be a viable strategy. I would not have agreed to write this text a year ago. But it is perhaps symptomatic of our extremely perilous political state that, now, direct engagement seems to me to be the best option.
None of this, of course, should be taken as tantamount to the suggestion that this book could somehow suffice to reverse the success of Peterson himself, let alone the political energies that he staked his fame upon. For that, a far more general mobilization—both theoretical and practical—would be required; one committed to addressing the social fissures his work exploits rather than merely lobbing allegations of racism or sexism at him. To such an initiative, all I can offer is this modest contribution. Peterson has spoken at length about the risks posed by ‘compelled speech’. Here’s mine.
Believe me,
dear reader,
Your devoted,
Conrad Bongard Hamilton
22 August 2019