Freedom of speech has become controversial in Canada in recent months, and in the ongoing furor, some important issues have been raised that are foundational to the survival of the West. At the center of much of this turmoil is University of Toronto Psychology Professor Jordan Peterson. In late September he posted a several videos on Youtube wherein he expressed fears concerning the encroachment of political correctness on the freedom of speech of citizens, with the accompanying devolution of the culture in increasingly totalitarian fashion.
His first video addressed pending federal legislation C-16 which would add Transgender discrimination to the Human Rights Code of Canada; at the center of the guidelines is a mandate that citizens MUST use desired pronouns when addressing Transgender people: going beyond simply hate speech (which you are forbidden to utter) to mandated speech that you must utter. Peterson stated that mandated speech was a significant violation of free speech, and stated that he would not obey. He also acknowledged he might be in violation of existing Human Rights laws by even publishing this video.
The second video dealt with the proposed mandatory politically correct sensitivity training for all human resource employees in the University; he exposed the fact that this was political indoctrination, and noted that some of the people involved in the establishment of content for this training were known Marxist ideologues, and that the overall thrust of this training was to create a university with decreased tolerance for free expression.
The reaction to these videos was much greater than he expected, and soon there were rallies on campus, both supporting him and denouncing him. A pro-free speech rally included PC social justice warriors (SJWs) essentially using sound machines and chants of “shame, shame… to make it impossible to hear Peterson supporters. In the few sentences that Peterson uttered before being shut down he warned that the suppression of free speech in other societies has led ultimately to violence and death. To perhaps make his point, some of the SJWs physically attacked a pro-free speech reporter, and security officers had to step in to restrain further violence.
In the following days, the university issued two written warnings to Peterson, and he responded with videos in which he read those letters and gave further explanation as to what was happening and what was at stake. He also released a video in which he described “The PC Game” which he characterized as
“… actually a biased compression algorithm, designed to oversimplify the world and artificially buttress emotional well-being …”.
Here are the rules:
1. Identify an area of human activity
2. Note a distribution of success
3. Identify winners and losers
4. Claim that the losers are losing because they are oppressed by the winners
5. Claim allegiance with the losers
6. Feel secure in your comprehensive explanation of the world
7. Revel in your moral superiority
8. Target your resentment towards your newly discovered enemies
9. Repeat. Forever. Everywhere.
Over the following weeks, interviews — both hostile and friendly — ensued with Peterson facing accusations and denunciations, and where he also gave extensive context for the meaning of all the tumult, and what was at stake for society. The university and Peterson finally agreed to a public event to air out issues. Peterson originally referred to the event as a “debate” but the ultimate label by the university was “forum”, and it was held on November 19, 2016. This essentially pitted Peterson against three Feminist legal experts, two women and a Transgender person. (It is noted that in the introduction to the Transgender person, the speaker used the pronoun “they” in reference.)
The outcome of these events as narrowly focused on Peterson and the University of Toronto is yet to be determined, but their importance far transcends issues such as whether Peterson is fired, or is prosecuted by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Because of Peterson’s expertise — as both a clinical and research psychologist, coupled with his decades of research and scholarship in the relationship of the human psyche and culture to totalitarian regimes such as Nazism, Leninism, Stalinism and similar genocidal regimes over the past 200 years — there is much that can be learned from him about the nature of contemporary issues of political correctness, and the profound need for the unencumbered utterance of truth. As Peterson says at one point,
“There is nothing more powerful than spoken truth. It is the bedrock of Western Civilization.”
The elimination of spoken truth is what the West is facing in many political jurisdictions, and if the collapse of the West is to be avoided, then people of all political persuasions need to come to an in-depth understanding of the issues that Peterson has so articulately raised. I urge you therefore to take some time to hear what he communicates in the videos referenced below.
But you might ask, “Why focus on this rather minor free speech controversy? Conservative professors in academia have been silenced for years.” Well, first, Peterson is not a conservative; he is a classic liberal. But more importantly, he is cognitive at the depths about the psychology and history of totalitarianism, and has spent his career devoted to full articulation of the truth at all cost, rather than conformance to any ideology, Left or Right. And he’s not backing down at all. Invest some time in this.
Note: The links related to this post are not intended to give an exhausted coverage of Jordan Peterson’s multi-faceted intellectual work, but rather are focused on the three videos he posted on Youtube in late September and early October 2016 expressing serious concerns about political correctness, and the aftermath that followed. Prior to this he had posted approximately 150 videos of lectures covering a variety of topics.
Given below are a series of videos that cover some of the controversy. For more in-depth information, links are provided to other pages which deal with various aspects of this controversy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oWWKNYUC2w
An analysis of portions of the November 19, 2016 Jordan Peterson debate at University of Toronto, wherein contradictions and false conclusions of the Feminist lawyers are exposed.
Jordan Peterson’s Argument from Debate at the University of Toronto (21:41)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDsgq3KCikg
Distillation of the arguments Jordan Peterson presented at the November 19, 2016 “debate” at University of Toronto.
Dr. Jordan Peterson Freedom Of Speech (2:07)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M20J0W2HvM
Professor Jordan Peterson briefly outlines the importance of free speech during a calm point in a free speech rally.
Professor Jordan Peterson Swarmed by Narcissistic SJW Ideologues after UofT Rally (13:20)
Confrontation following pro free speech rally between Transgender students and Professor Jordan Peterson.
Jordan Peterson – You demand respect Respect is earnt. (8:37)
Jordan Peterson discusses the realities of self-identity, and the meaning of respect for another person.
Update, Nov 16 – The Debate, and a Letter from a Viewer (27:56)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHv5K1YLGqE
2016-11-16 Professor Jordan Peterson provides a preview of his upcoming November 19, 2016 “debate” at the University of Toronto dealing with Transgender Bill C-16 and issues of free speech.
My Chat with Psychologist Jordan Peterson (THE SAAD TRUTH 265) – conclusion (21:28)
Conclusion of Gad Saad interview of Jordan Peterson concerning the uproar over his video series on political correctness.
Jordan peterson and Dave Rubin – Conclusion (15:28)
An especially emotionally-changed conclusion to Jordan Peterson’s interview by “liberal” video blogger Dave Rubin.
Call To Action For All Canadian Academics (3:28)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdY6jOSXIU4
University of Ottawa anti-Feminist professor Janice Fiamengo makes a plea to Canadian academics to publicly come out in support of University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson in his battle against political correctness, and in favor of free speech.
Jordan Peterson and Freedom of Speech – TFF Episode 52 (20:26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEbC5Py1qoI
Anti-Feminist University of Ottawa professor Janice Fiamengo discusses the current battle for free speech being waged by Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto.
Save Us from Social Justice – TFF Episode 54 (11:27)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2dOw7nIlw0
Janice Fiamengo describes the totalitarian darkness created by Social Justice, as it is applied in Canada.
For an excellent, one-hour interview with Jordan Peterson covering much of these issues, consider the following:
Dr. Jordan Peterson on Free Speech and Authoritarianism (1:03:56)
A wide-ranging interview of Jordan Peterson by video blogger Sam Sholli. This hour-long video deals with Peterson’s opposition to the Transgender C-16 legislation, the personality profile for PC-authoritarians, and the trajectory beyond C-16 towards government informants and increasingly coercive restrictions to free speech, leaning on Peterson’s extensive study of regimes such as the Soviet Union, the Peoples Republic of China, Cambodia, Viet Nam, and North Korea.
For more content, consider the following pages:
Jordan Peterson – His Videos on Free Speech and the Aftermath
This page contains links to the original videos produced by Jordan Peterson which created great controversy, and led to the November 19, 2016 forum (a.k.a. “debate”) on the legal raminfications of his statements on Bill C-16 and his refusal to use desired pronouns requested by Transgender people.
Jordan Peterson – The Free Speech Rally
This page contains links to videos related to a rally in support of free speech at University of Toronto, held in early October 2016, following the posting of Professor Jordan Peterson’s three videos wherein he raised concerns about the infringement of free speech threatened by political correctness. The rally itself features disruptive actions by Social Justice Warriors (SJWs) — “PC Authoritarians”, as Peterson describes them — who clearly do not support civil dialogue.
Jordan Peterson November 19, 2016 Forum at University of Toronto
In this page is found a link to the video of the November 19, 2016 Jordan Peterson forum, as well as several introductory videos to provide context.
Jordan Peterson – “Hostile” Interviews
This page contains lnks to appearances of Jordan Peterson on Canadian television, where those critical of his views confront him with their disagreements. There is also a video providing commentary on one of the appearances.
Jordan Peterson – “Friendly” Interviews
This page contains links to interviews of Jordan Peterson by people who essentially share his views, or wish to learn more about the logical and historical basis for his anti-PC stance. In the case two of the interviews, separate excerpts are also provided of the concluding portion of those interviews.
Jordan Peterson — other videos/links
This page contains commentary by Jordan Peterson on aspects of the battle for free speech and the danger of increasingly onerous totalitarian control of thought and behavior in Canadian society.