Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life

“Is it not possible (even though it may not always deliver us from the terrible situation that we find ourselves in) that we would all be more able to deal with uncertainty, the horrors of nature, the tyranny of culture, and the malevolence of ourselves and others if we were better and more courageous people? If we strived toward higher values?”

A core component of Peterson’s message is to find a higher purpose for one’s life, to practice certain virtues not only because they are the right thing to do, but because acting in that way will lead to a better life. In Peterson’s view, virtue and purpose are the best available solutions to the challenges of life, foundations of certainty amidst daily experiences of uncertainty.

“Sanity is knowing the rules of the social game, internalizing them, and following them. Differences in status are therefore inevitable, as all worthwhile endeavors have a goal, and those who pursue them have different abilities in relationship to that goal. Accepting the fact of this disequilibrium and striving forward nonetheless—whether presently at the bottom, middle, or top—is an important element of mental health.”

In a political culture that promotes equality as a paramount value, having less power or authority than others can feel intrinsically unjust. For Peterson, however, such hierarchies are inevitable and natural—if not quite always just in their operation. Therefore, learning how to operate with them, rather than complain about the disadvantages of one’s station, is indispensable for a successful and happy life.

“Alongside the wisdom of true conservatism is the danger that the status quo might become corrupt and its corruption self-servingly exploited. Alongside the brilliance of creative endeavor is the false heroism of the resentful ideologue, who wears the clothes of the original rebel while undeservedly claiming the moral upper hand and rejecting all genuine responsibility. Intelligent and cautious conservatism and careful and incisive change keep the world in order.”

Conservatism (not in the political sense, but rather in Peterson’s sense of conserving the primary components of a social order) and the creative impulse each have flaws, but their flaws are distinct. The conservative errs in confusing their authority with righteousness and using it to harm others and benefit themselves without proper regard for the common good. The flaw of creativity is a different kind of arrogance, a belief that one can exist outside of institutions, confusing the inherent limits of institutions with irredeemable flaws.