Notes on my Kavanaugh Tweet

Jordan Peterson ^ | 10-10-2018 | Jordan Peterson

[abigkahuna]

Snip: I asked myself a question, after reading these posts: “Is there an alternative to confirming or not confirming Kavanaugh?” When a choice appears starkly binary, a third path appears impossible, by definition — but might possibly still be worth seeking. I tried to place myself in Kavanaugh’s position, while generating a potential answer (and think that I can do so with some justification, having been publicly identified as reprehensible by many people—prominent journalists, activists, and academics among them).

Snip: Having said all that, I would like also like to point out that I am not claiming that the opinion I put forward—the alternative I offered—is or was correct. I am accustomed, as a research scientist, to generating hypotheses: “this is what everyone thinks the problem is, but maybe it’s this, or this, or this, or this” or “here is a potential solution, but here is another, and another, and another” and “let’s discuss these various possibilities and test them.” It is very easy for me to forget that in these heated and impulsive times thoughts and simulations are immediately regarded as canonical opinions, indelibly defining personality and character now and forever.

[JudyinCanada]

Jordan Peterson has been very refreshing to listen to, in this age of leftists. It’s been nice to see him stand up to the bullies on the left. I have noted that Dr. Peterson does NOT like being tied to the “right”. It seems we have only two camps, and he doesn’t want to be fit into either.

Ha! I have been wading through the book all summer. I read a few pages and put it down. As much as I enjoy hearing him speak, his book, except for the odd bit here and there, just reads like a compilation of babble. I have about 1/3 of it left and I know I won’t bother to finish it.

I think his comments on Kavanaugh are merely him trying to straddle the fence, not wanting to land left or right. He dreads being lumped in with the right/Trump/evangelicals, etc.

[rlmorel]

Argggh. I bought his book (recommended to me) and couldn’t get through it. I have listened to his podcasts, but they are a bit too middle of the road for me.

Sigh. You may be right.

[GOPJ]

I should have known better because Twitter appears primarily to be a forum where errors are magnified and outrage and vitriol almost certain to emerge whenever uncertainty about motive manifests itself.

Lots of good insights in reaction there poconopundit... but Peterson's right - the lightning speed of 'twitter think' isn't an academic's friend...

[tinyowl]

I just think he had his head temporarily in his butt and should say 'yes, it was in my butt, it no longer is.'

I think he suffers a little unconsciously from pride since the Sam Harris and other debates were so popular. That whole circle seems to be seeing themselves as the Hope for the World, they seem to think they are 'at the top' of something. The discourse is good, but it's NOT the smartest stuff in the world, it's just 'pretty smart.' They are not visionaries. They seem to be believing that they are. Even Sam's arguments, while well constructed and defended, are the same things I was thinking when I was 15. Many people go through an atheist period based purely on intellect and rationality. Sam is like a smart debater stuck at age 15.

So, think Jordan needs to reflect on his ego, and see that perhaps pride allowed him to think sloppily.

Interestingly it's the fundamental defining characteristic of Boston liberals -> to just declare something as revealed truth, because "I am smart, and it occurred to me, therefore it is correct, requiring no self reflection or analysis."

Weird coming from Jordan! All of what's good about him comes from the fact that what suffering he HAS endured required him to reflect reflect reflect refine discard be humble reflect refine clarify reflect etc.

But on that comment, he took hit ego's bait to be the Great Healer, zero reflection, pure ego.

[nopardons]

I have NO idea what you’re talking about; care to explain? If so, just tell me via FRmail, so as to not disrupt this thread with an OT post.

[abigkahuna]

Check your FR mail...

[AnonymousConservative]

Which just happened to come off at the time as advocating against Kavanaugh. Now that he can mitigate the damage, he says it was all a thought experiment.

If I had said of 9/11, “This is our chickens coming home to roost,” and then I later said it was a thought experiment, look at how I am perfectly developing a situation where I can say anything, try to push events in any direction, and deny responsibility for it later because I am a thought experimenter.

Of course if you take this at the face value he offers it, then nobody should ever listen to him ever again, because he is openly admitting he talks out of his ass, says stuff which he has no idea is correct or incorrect, and he will backpedal on it at the first sign of resistance. Why bother even listening to him?

This guy has all the hallmarks of a Bill Kristol in the making. The only difference is, he won’t take the consequences of his proclamations.

I’ll take his almighty holiness, the God Emperor of the United State’s version - be right all the time, always win, and afterward laugh at your enemies as you cheer on your team’s victory.

[nopardons]

I remember that horrible mess well. :-(

Eschoir was a real ba*turd and then some!

I don't know what THE POSTMAN is ( movie ? ), but yes, you DO "know stuff"!

So do I ( because I've got a very good memory and been here so long ), "know stuff", which is a good thing!

[Lakeshark]

I've been a big Peterson fan.

That he doesn't realize the American left is the post-modernist neo-Marxist group he rants against surprises me. That he doesn't understand how leftist voters were fooled en masse into believing a lie by their leadership and their post-modernist neo-Marxist media just shocks the Hell out of me.

All he had to do was say (with that Canadian lilt) that upon further review, his exercise was wrong, and not thought through properly.

[rlmorel]

Yes. I think he fumbled that pretty badly.

There was once a movie called the “The Thin Red Line” (the one from 1998, not a great movie) but there is a scene in it where Woody Harrelson’s character grabs a grenade hooked to him by the the clip and accidentally grabs it by the pin which comes out, it drops to the ground but before he can get out of the way it explodes and blows his buttocks off.

He exclaims “I blew my butt off!” before he dies.

I think Jordan Peterson blew his butt of on this one. A lot of conservatives are going to eye him a bit more suspiciously than they might have before.

[kiryandil]

The trailer for The Postman [3:50]

The Lefties hated the movie and buried it because it was pro-United States. Lots of flag-waving nationalism.

English actress Olivia Williams is an absolute babe in the movie.

[nopardons]

Many thanks for the info.

I really had NO idea what you were referring to. I've never even heard of this movie; but then, I'm not all that "up" on modern movies, as I prefer watching old. very old ones.