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12 Rules for Life

By: Jordan B. Peterson
Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The number one Sunday Times and Audible best seller from 'the most influential public intellectual in the Western world right now' (New York Times) - read by the man himself.

How should we live properly in a world of chaos and uncertainty?

Jordan Peterson has helped millions of people, young and old, men and women, aim at a life of responsibility and meaning. Now he can help you.

Drawing on his own work as a clinical psychologist and on lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, Peterson offers 12 profound and realistic principles to live by. After all, as he reminds us, we each have a vital role to play in the unfolding destiny of the world.

Deep, rewarding and enlightening, 12 Rules for Life is a lifeboat built solidly for stormy seas: ancient wisdom applied to our contemporary problems.

©2018 Jordan B. Peterson (P)2018 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about 12 Rules for Life

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Boring, religious content not openly disclosed.

Bought this given the high number of downloads and high ratings. I've listened to a couple hours and - honestly - have rarely been so bored reading/listening to a book. Plus, about an hour in Peterson mentions "Mathew 25.10" or such religious reference. That was interesting and relevant, but then he makes another reference to a religious text (bible or book of something or other), and I thought oh no, not another religious reference. Since then, the whole tone and text is a religious reference to Adam & Eve, the significance of the snake, and apple tree, god this and Jesus that. It turns out - as far as I can tell, suffering it - that it's a Sunday morning sermon, and equally as electrifying. I wasted my money on this turkey, and will request a swap. It should clearly be marked for its high religious content and references - not what I thought I was buying at all.

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159 people found this helpful

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Fascinating Read

Psychologist and controversial public figure, Jordan B. Peterson, undertakes his first serious attempt to distill his ideas about life into a book for a general audience. Although, perhaps not one for the typical audience of such books. Jordan's various essays are fascinating, lengthy--and at times wandering--discussions of what it means to be human and how to live in this world we inhabit. The explanations for his suggested 'rules' are not for your typical Oprah Book Club reader longing for simple answers, and dumbed-down explanations. There is no woo-woo or hoo-rah here. Instead, Peterson draws particularly on a unique combination of Jungian psychology and Darwinian evolution to explain how he believes the world works, and what that may mean for each of us as we move through life.
This is an unusual work, unlike other popular psychology books I've read, for it presents an engrossing and intellectually fascinating take on the modern human condition, rather than just offering a few anecdotal (or researched but overly-simplified) quick fix ideas. There is no concessions to pandering here, and the explanations he provides are at times uncomfortable for they strip away some of the masques we wear and facades we build around our humanity. What is beneath is not always pretty, but evidently is a side of our humanity Peterson believes we each ought to confront, for it is the healthy assimilation of these elements into the psyche that allows us to move courageously in the turbulent, chaotic world. We must each embrace the chaos within, should we wish to confront it in the world. This book is Peterson's attempt to show us how it's done.

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143 people found this helpful

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Great advice but a little long-winded at times.

I really appreciated a lot of the advice and I really respect Jordan Peterson. Most of the chapters start off strong with personal and clinical anecdotes, only to be followed by 30 minutes of biblical studies... As someone who isnt religious and grew up in a non-religous home, in a mostly non-religous country, it became a little much. I can appreciate some of these christian references and enjoy exploring their ideas. But it wasn't long before I'd find myself lost in thought rather than listening as the point had already been made prior to the bible being pulled out.

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“To say anything is to say nothing at all”

He mentions in his book something along the lines of “to say anything is to say nothing at all” with regards to the level of pain his daughter experienced.

In the same spirit of that line....
October before last, my fiancé at the time and myself listened to one of Jordan’s lectures/podcasts relating to having kids on the drive down the coast to our wedding.
We’d been together for 10 years before we were married and had planned not to have kids.
After listening, we decided “if it happens on the honeymoon it happens, if not, back to our careers”.
We’ll it happened so thanks to this guy my new wife and I now have a 6 month old son who we love more than we knew possible.

This humble carpenter attempting to find the words to express gratitude for the difference made in my life by a stranger I’ll never meet, on the other side of the globe, wouldn’t do it justice.

To say that I am grateful is “almost to say nothing at all”.

For both the inspiration and now the instruction manual, my new family and I thanks you.

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79 people found this helpful

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Is he a clinical psychologist, or a Priest?

I bought this book due to the increasing hype around Jordan. Disappointingly, It's just that; a hype.

I could relate to and confirm that the advice he gives, as a parent and psychologist, on chapters concerning children are very good as this is my professional field and I did refer some parents to the specific chapters.

I am, though, poorly disappointed at the amount of, rather lack of, evidence which comes in the form of Bible literature. He is a psychologist yet, this book seems to have been written by a priest.

3 of 12 chapters seemed well. Was told in a mostly entertaining & easy to absorb manner.

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68 people found this helpful

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Contains timeless answers to life’s timeless questions

I rank this amongst the top 10 most important books in my life. I wish it was written years ago, since its timeless wisdom is useful in every phase of life.

Peterson is the first author who offers credible answers to the nihilistic questions that tend to creep into every critical mind: why bother when life is unpredictable, unfair and short? Why get out of bed when all your work can be undone by one drunk driver? Why have children that are destined to suffer, sometimes immeasurably?

Please pick this one up. If it doesn’t bring you the value it did to millions already, at least you’ll know what the fuss is all about.

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65 people found this helpful

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Couldn’t finish it

Some good tips but way too in depth and far too much talk about Christianity and bible stories.

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56 people found this helpful

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Some good advice saturated in misogyny

When I first started listening I thought this book was great. But as it progressed it got a bit nuttier. Talk of Chaos and Order being male and female. And a lot of Adam and Eve being the reason the two sexes are go they are. References to the best women being the beautiful women, whose the best men are the intellectual ones. Talk about how people don't take care of themselves because they have guilt about being sinful creatures made in the image of God, but not as good as God himself....List goes on. If you want to read a good self help books pick something else. I'd you want to read the ramblings of someone trying to dress up their religious and sexist views and scientific this is the book for you.

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51 people found this helpful

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This book will shatter you into a million pieces

everything you thought you knew will be shattered
you will be ripped apart and scattered
and also put back together and made whole

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42 people found this helpful

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I got half way in and just wasn’t for me.

Good snippets here and there.
Just wasn’t for me. Too much dogma and religious overtones.
It’s just my opinion of course.

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