As I mentioned last week, I appreciate the recent work of Dr. Jordan B. Peterson in bringing some difficult topics to the forefront of current conversation – both psychologically and culturally.  I’m not sure if he realizes it or not, but he is quite the Logotherapist in my mind – many of his ideas are easily seen through the lens of the psychology of meaning.  At least, maybe, that’s my bias – I will let you decide.  Here are a few of my favorite ideas from the first half of Beyond Order: 12 more Rules for Life.

“When you are visited by chaos and swallowed up; when nature curses you or someone you love with illness; or when tyranny rends asunder something of value that you have built, it is salutary to know the rest of the story. All of that misfortune is only the bitter half of the tale of existence, without taking note of the heroic element of redemption or the nobility of the human spirit requiring a certain responsibility to shoulder. We ignore that addition to the story at our peril, because life is so difficult that losing sight of the heroic part of existence could cost us everything.”

“You have sources of strength upon which you can draw, and even though they may not work well, they may be enough. You have what you can learn if you can accept your error.”

“…the meaning that sustains people through difficult times is to be found not so much in happiness, which is fleeting, but in in the voluntary adoption of mature responsibility for the self and others.”

The next series of quotes is, perhaps, one of the most coherent statements about the power of psychotherapy and having a healthy support network:

 “…people depend on constant communication with others to keep their minds organized. We all need to think to keep things straight, but we mostly think by talking….

We need to talk about the nature of the present and our plans for the future, so we know where we are, where we are going, and why we are going there. We must submit the strategies and tactics we formulate to the judgments of others, to ensure their efficiency and resilience. We need to listen to ourselves as we talk, as well, so that we may organize our otherwise inchoate bodily reactions, motivations, and emotions into something articulate and organized, and dispense with those concerns that are exaggerated and irrational. We need to talk—both to remember and to forget.

Simply put: We outsource the problem of sanity. People remain mentally healthy not merely because of the integrity of their own minds, but because they are constantly being reminded how to think, act, and speak by those around them.

If you are not communicating about anything that engages other people, then the value of your communication—even the value of your very presence—risks falling to zero.”

As always, if you are interested in discussing these ideas further, feel free to get in touch with me – I’m always happy to help.

Take care,

Dan