“There Are No Socialist Intellectuals”: The Hypocrisy of Jordan Peterson

Summary

This video critiques Jordan Peterson's claim that there are no great socialist intellectuals, exposing contradictions in his stance. The creator highlights Peterson's endorsement of socialist authors like George Orwell and Ernest Hemingway, despite his anti-socialist rhetoric. The video explores the diversity of socialist ideologies, explaining how terms like socialism and communism are often misunderstood. It also addresses Peterson's intellectual inconsistencies and how he seems to appreciate works by leftist thinkers, which contradicts his public dismissals of socialism. The creator aims to reveal Peterson's cognitive dissonance on this subject.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The tweet claiming 'there are no great socialist intellectuals by definition' sparks the author's contemplation due to its cognitive dissonance.
• 📚 Jordan Peterson's recommended literature list includes numerous socialist authors, contradicting his claim against socialist intellectuals.
• 🧠 The video aims to highlight the cognitive dissonance or 'doublethink' exhibited by Jordan Peterson regarding socialism and intellectuals.
• 📖 The script discusses the definition of socialism, emphasizing its diversity and range of ideologies beyond authoritarian models.
• 🏛 Examples of socialist leaders like Joseph Stalin and Salvador Allende are used to illustrate the vastly different outcomes of socialist governance.
• 👥 The video points out that socialism is often misunderstood and conflated with authoritarianism, which is not inherently part of its ideology.
• 📚 George Orwell, a democratic socialist, is admired by Peterson, yet his political stance is overlooked in favor of his literary contributions.
• 📘 Kurt Vonnegut, another author on Peterson's list, is misrepresented as anti-leftist, despite his clear support for democratic socialism.
• 📑 The script challenges the reductionist view that all socialists are authoritarian, highlighting various anti-authoritarian branches of socialism.
• 🤷‍♂️ The video suggests that Peterson's dismissal of socialist intellectuals is not consistent with the breadth of socialist thought and his own literary influences.
• 📈 The script concludes by emphasizing the intellectual immaturity of making sweeping statements about socialism and intellectuals, especially when one's own influences contradict such claims.

Q & A

What is the main point of the video script?

The main point of the video script is to highlight the cognitive dissonance exhibited by Jordan Peterson, particularly regarding his claim that 'there are no great socialist intellectuals by definition,' while his recommended literature list includes works by known socialist authors.

What does the term 'doublethink' refer to as used in the script?

In the script, 'doublethink' is used to describe the act of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously, a term originally coined by George Orwell in his novel '1984'.

What is the script's stance on socialism?

The script argues that socialism is often misunderstood and misrepresented, being both equated with authoritarian regimes and used as a pejorative for more moderate political figures. It emphasizes the diversity of socialist ideologies.

Who are some of the socialist figures mentioned in the script?

The script mentions figures like Joseph Stalin, Salvador Allende, George Orwell, and Kurt Vonnegut, highlighting the different outcomes and beliefs within socialism.

Why does the script mention George Orwell's '1984'?

The script mentions '1984' to draw a parallel between the concept of 'doublethink' and Jordan Peterson's contradictory views on socialist intellectuals.

What is the significance of the recommended literature list on Jordan Peterson's website as discussed in the script?

The recommended literature list is significant because it includes works by socialist authors that Peterson himself admires, contradicting his claim that there are no great socialist intellectuals.

What is the script's view on the diversity of socialist ideologies?

The script views socialism as an umbrella term with many diverse offshoots, including democratic socialism, libertarian socialism, market socialism, Marxism-Leninism, anarcho-syndicalism, and Trotskyism, among others.

Why does the script discuss the works of Kurt Vonnegut?

The script discusses Vonnegut's works to counter the misconception that he was anti-socialist, highlighting his admiration for democratic socialism and his opposition to authoritarianism.

What is the script's critique of Jordan Peterson's tweet about socialist intellectuals?

The script critiques Peterson's tweet as a reductionist take that he himself does not seem to believe, given his admiration for works by socialist authors.

What is the script's position on the relationship between capitalism and corporatism?

The script suggests that failures of capitalism are sometimes attributed to 'corporatism' or 'corporatocracy,' which is a political system dominated by corporate interests, rather than capitalism itself.

What is the purpose of the video script?

The purpose of the video script is not to convert viewers to any particular political ideology but to demonstrate the intellectual inconsistency in Jordan Peterson's public statements and recommendations.