Abandoning small towns
Dr. Peterson, You speak a lot about small rural towns in America and Canada. I hear you say quite often that we should stop telling people that these small depressed rural towns are coming back. I take issue with this because many of these small rural places are heavily based in agricultural and food production. My question is, where do you believe that most of Americas food will come from if we abandon small agricultural towns? The experiment of ushering farmers and ranchers into cities has been tried, and it ended with millions of people starving to death. Our family is a ranching family in a small rural American town and for us moving to town would be soul crushing. I feel like I am suffocating in big cities. My calling and meaning life is tending animals and the land and producing good healthy food for America. You have changed my life (for the better) and been more influential than anyone else in my life, I respect you immensely and have listened to hundreds, if not thousands of hours of podcasts and interviews in hopes you’d answer this question. Thank you so much for what you do, I am eternally grateful for what I have learned from you.
Conversation
Would you have time for a 5 hours of conversation and what is your charge rate? I would like to tell you something personal and I would like us to discuss a common subject. Please either reply here, so we can arrange a meeting, or send an email to j.garcevic@gmail.com. Thank you. Best wishes, Jasna
Seeking change, but not really. Human trait? Bucket list.
Dear Dr Peterson: Just listened to your first Q&A super cast. Well done. I look forward to plane flights now as I get to focus on your discussions. Listening, absorbing, retaining YOU is no easy task. I suspect I am as worn out as you are in 1.5 hours. Deep thinking isn't for wimps. So here’s the question with context: I’ve always been good at unpacking an issue, taking it apart to its components and identifying incremental actionable improvements. The improvement might be small, but something is better than nothing. On the other side, I toss out a piece that doesn’t work. The sum is usually improved. Rinse and repeat. But here’s where I get in trouble. As someone talks I really listen. They are the only person in the world at that time. I value their trust in me. While listening, I innately digest the speaker’s problem into actionable components quite quickly making a sort of mental inventory. I’m better at quietly offering small suggestions (66 years old, more humble & serene now) but most times speakers don’t want to solve an issue nor break it down, they just want to vent. No resolution; just moving forward with the same old behavior leading them back in an endless loop. They sort of find comfort in their flawed path and/or are resistant? threatened? by change. Change rocks their boat it feels like to me. Speakers who know me say “you always do that, do you ever quit?” Good feed back but jeeeez. I’m guessing you’ve found a way to “think” positively about this human trait. This is a life long struggle for me and wonderment at my fellow humans. “It’s complicated” is a frequent grouse by the speaker. Most things are simple. The sum of the pieces looks complicated, break it down and it’s manageable. Actionable. Any insight from you here would give some peace. You would check a box on my bucket list. BTW. Though U.S. ; lived a good share of my life in Sarnia Ontario. My mentors were WWII Canadians. London provincial judge, Sarnia Ice plant owner , Pt Edward wood worker , Electrician for the petro chemical plants. Bayfield restaurant owner. Toronto Boot Maker. Guard at Sarnia Yacht Club. You’ve brought back fresh Canadian resonance from the mentors I miss a lot. Forever, deeply thankful to you and your team.