A professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, Jordan Peterson set off a firestorm in 2016 when he publicly denounced Canada’s Bill C-16, a law that protected gender expression and identity. Protesting the use of special pronouns designed to describe variations of gender, Peterson was catapulted onto the global stage as an immediately polarizing figure. Since that time, as his public profile has widened, he has garnered an international audience of eager disciples and inflamed detractors. Jordan Peterson: Truth in the Time of Chaos offers an in-depth conversation with the controversial professor as he expands upon his perceptions of personal responsibility, human rights, political correctness and the importance of historical archetypes.
Much of the conversation evokes the Logos, an ancient Greek philosophy that promotes the persuasive powers of logic. If humans were to live as the reincarnation of the Logos, Peterson argues, then they would achieve harmonious alignment and eradicate chaos from their reality.
Peterson discusses the need to latch onto archetypes which have been deeply embedded into our culture for centuries, including the notion of the masculine and feminine. In his view, the attempts to disrupt and dismantle these structures will ultimately result in a societal breakdown from which we may never recover. The argument goes beyond gender identification – which he views as a sideshow to the real issues at play – and speaks to the destructive impact of the post-modernist philosophy.
Peterson’s teachings are an expansion of Jungian philosophies, especially in regards to the notion of a shadow self. If one were to fully embody their moral and shadow selves – their capacity for both good and unspeakable evil – then they might achieve a level of consciousness bordering on the mythic.
Jordan Peterson: Truth in the Time of Chaos is an effective distillation of the professor’s views, and of the ills that many believe are plaguing our modern society. The film explores a phenomenon that has proven especially alluring to male audiences, and has amassed tens of millions of views on YouTube. Whether you believe Peterson is a savior to Western civilization or a false prophet who indulges in heresy, the film puts forth a number of well articulated subjects that are worthy of exploration.