Ask Me Anything

with The Jordan B. Peterson Premium Podcast

Ask a question

The field of neuromodulation

Dr Peterson, firstly it was an honor to meet you in Indy last night. We greatly appreciated how gracious you were with your time! I had hoped to have the time to ask you about what your thoughts are on the burgeoning field of neuromodulation. For all the topics you discuss on your podcast I was curious if this was on your radar? Thank you and that was indeed a lovely Omega! -M and A

When Facts Don't Matter

Is there a particular personality trait that makes one's belief system impervious to contrary facts? How can a person who is captive to such a belief system be brought to face the facts and adjust his belief system accordingly? Why is it so hard to even agree on what the relevant facts are?

On Music

Dr. Peterson, As you have said regarding perception, we perceive objects as something like “a thing to interact with in some way”, and places as something like “a space for doing things in”. One could say, objects are perceived as ‘invitations’ or ‘calls-to-action’, and places as something like, “spaces that invite you to ‘be a certain way’ in”. With that in mind, what is your opinion of my formulation of an answer (provided below) to what I conceive to be a question that you have been seeking in regards to music? When encountering music, it does two things at once. It invites you to sing, and it invites you to dance. To sing along is to join into a co-creative union with the music, and if done goodly, it produces beauty that glorifies the self, the music, and the listeners simultaneously. To dance is to accept the ‘spirit’ of the music into you so that you may embody it, and if done goodly, it produces beauty that glorifies the self, the music, and the watchers simultaneously. That is a metaphorical model of our relationship to God in concise terms. We are invited to enter into a co-creative union with, and embody the spirit of, God, in such a way as to glorify God, ourselves, and those around us (Goodly). That is the significance (relationship to fundamental truth) of music; that our relationship to music is somehow a reflection in the physical of some fundamental aspects of our relationship to God in the metaphysical. Blessings. p.s. Not to be presumptuous, but I’d be happy to talk sometime, if you wish; https://www.minds.com/theblackrockbeacon/

Higher Education: Is It Redeemable?

I've been a university student for a total of 7 years and throughout I've witnessed a transition from merit-based education to social-credit-based education. What I mean by that is excellence, curiosity, resilience, and ambition are no longer awarded. In fact, they seem intentionally hindered. What matters more is your social credit, or perceived social credit, earned not through personal achievement but from your identity (race, gender, sexuality, political affiliations, social justice beliefs, etc.) The introduction of DIE specialists in post-secondary institutions now seems to solidify that merit-based education is no more. This feels like the final nail in the coffin for higher education. In light of this, do you believe higher education is redeemable?

Leave the church or not

We are struggling with whether to leave our church that is very reluctant to update its dogma. But, we fear chaos in the future for our kids if we leave. If we stay, then our kids as they mature start to notice more of the absurdities and inconsistencies that we are becoming less tolerant of. How did you instill meaning and value in your kids without church?