Book Review: Twelve Rules for Life
I&#x27;ll try to explain why I&#x27;m enamored with the guy, though I do try and resist it. I&#x27;ve fallen victim to a few cult followings in my past - Ayn Rand in my teens and then Noam Chomsky in my early twenties. So I know the danger signs of falling into an ideological trapping, and I do see that happening with some of Peterson&#x27;s fans.<p>But I don&#x27;t care about the fight against &quot;Postmodern Neo-Marxism&quot; or any of his discussion about free speech. His value for me is due to his religious content. I, like many people my age, grew up in a conservatively religious household and became irreligious as soon as I left home. I thought of it as breaking free from burdensome constraints.<p>But after years of attempting to &quot;simply be a good person&quot;, I&#x27;ve found that there is indeed some kind of void that needs to be filled. And yet, I just cannot go back to being (in my case) an evangelical christian. Once you&#x27;re out, you&#x27;re out. So where should a modern, rational, scientifically literate person do when they need a deeper source of <i>particularly religious</i> meaning in their life? Peterson is the first person I&#x27;ve come across who has even come close to answering that question adequately. No matter how many faults the man has, he has done me this kindness. All the rest is fluff to me.<p>I do think he&#x27;s a bit of a prophet, in that he has the ability to inspire conviction without guilt, passion without irresponsibility, and courage without hubris.