From: jimruttshow8596
The work of Jordan Peterson and his ideas serve as a significant point of comparison and critique for philosopher Hanzi Freinacht, particularly concerning the development of metamodernism [00:36:00]. Freinacht’s newest book, 12 Commandments for Extraordinary People to Master Ordinary Life, is explicitly framed as a response to Peterson’s 12 Rules and 12 More Rules [01:40:00], [01:53:00].
Peterson’s Approach: A Step Backwards
Freinacht’s academic and philosophical upbringing was in a “very postmodern setting,” which deeply imbued him with critical perspectives on societal power relations, the role of language, the social construction of reality, and the skewing of gender, human nature, and class relations [02:22:00]. He sought to move beyond mere critique to construct something new, integrating ideas from integral theory and developmental psychology to advance beyond postmodernism [02:57:00].
Upon discovering Jordan Peterson in 2017, Freinacht observed Peterson’s crusade to defend “truth university” against “justice university” [05:25:00]. However, Freinacht argues that Peterson’s response to postmodernism was not metamodernism—a step forward—but rather a “step back” to classical liberalism and conservatism [06:10:00]. This, according to Freinacht, represented a “regression backwards” to “modern values” such as responsibility and individualism [07:08:00].
The Jim Rutt Show host, Jim Rutt, echoes this sentiment, viewing Peterson’s 12 Rules as “Common Sense Circa the times when I was growing up 1960-65” [11:13:00]. Rutt acknowledges the initial utility of postmodernism in critiquing metanarratives but notes that it devolved into “cultural nihilism,” to which Peterson’s work was a “reactionary response” [11:35:00]. Peterson’s approach suggested a return to an idealized past, like 1965, which, while feeling “safe” compared to cultural nihilism, was problematic due to the subordination of women and racial minorities [12:07:00].
Freinacht’s aim is to offer a path forward, taking what is useful from modernism and postmodernism to “step to the next level which is metamodernism” [12:41:00].
Freinacht’s Metamodern Response
Hanzi Freinacht’s new book is a “metamodern response to Jordan Peterson’s self-help,” where Peterson had the “largest and widest impact” [09:42:00]. While there is a “significant” overlap in thinking, Freinacht states that his “underlying sentimentality is different,” as are the “aesthetics” and the “form of life” he envisions [10:11:00]. His vision is described as “somewhat more laid back,” “more hopeful,” “more secular and skeptical,” yet “more deeply spiritual or religious” [10:37:00]. It also carries a “progressive vibe,” departing from Peterson’s Christianity [10:59:00].
Freinacht states his book is a “handbook for sanity among the groups who are already doing these things” [13:33:00], referring to the “liminal web of radical social changers” [01:24:00]. He aims to create a “life philosophy” that is “congruent with being crazy with being radical or thinking outside of the box,” fostering “sober radical people” [14:56:00]. This contrasts with Peterson’s approach, which Freinacht argues, if followed, leads to “being a boring conservative” who is “still part of a world that’s going down the drain” [14:36:00].
Key Comparative Points:
- Critique of Postmodernism: While Peterson offered a timely and useful critique of postmodernism, it lacked “progressive content” and did not retain the “moral sensibilities of postmodernism” [08:16:00]. Freinacht seeks to integrate the critical elements of sociology and humanities with spiritual and developmental perspectives to construct something after postmodern deconstruction [04:09:00].
- Individual Responsibility vs. Social Context: Peterson emphasizes individual responsibility and avoiding “social reductionism,” where personal issues are wrongly attributed to societal problems [42:51]. Freinacht introduces “individualist reductionism,” arguing that it’s equally problematic to turn social issues (e.g., Jim Crow laws) into solely individual responsibilities [43:03]. His “Heal with Justice” commandment links personal healing and congruence to the pursuit of social justice, emphasizing that genuine social justice flows from internal alignment, rather than hypocrisy [01:19:35], [01:24:00], [01:25:24].
- “Clean Your Room” vs. “Live in a Mess Moderately”: Peterson’s famous advice to “clean your room” implies perfect order [40:53]. Freinacht counters that one doesn’t “owe having a neat home to anybody nor do you have to have a life in perfect order to valuably partake in society and work for its improvements” [41:00]. He notes that intelligent people tend to be messier and warns against the judgmentalism inherent in Peterson’s “Mrs. Clean types” vibe [41:25].
- The Guru Game: Freinacht explicitly critiques the “guru game,” which he describes as people claiming “secret knowledge” for personal gain or to maintain influence [01:36:35]. He considers it a problematic tendency, evident in “totalitarianism and Cults,” including the “huge YouTube followings” of figures like Peterson [01:37:15]. Instead of following a guru, Freinacht advocates for “triangulating different perspectives” and finding “others” who can engage laterally in cooperative teams [01:38:11], [01:41:08]. This aligns with the Game B community’s emphasis on finding “the others” and achieving “coherence” without a central guru figure [01:42:50].
- Spirituality and Religion: Peterson, despite having confessed to being an atheist in Maps of Meaning, attracts a fan base that tends to be “more traditionally religious” [01:0:28:00]. Freinacht’s approach embraces a secular skepticism while also being deeply spiritual, aiming for a “superposition” where ruthless scientific scrutiny can coexist with safe exploration of the magical realm and spiritual experience [02:51:00]. He seeks to go “beyond the Divide of Science and spirituality” [02:15:15], a pursuit shared by figures like Brendan Graham Dempsey and John Vervaeke [02:26:30]. Freinacht’s “reverse Christianity” posits forgiving God or reality for its imperfections, rather than seeking forgiveness from a higher power, leading to greater peace of mind [01:47:49].