Psychologist Jordan Peterson is one of today’s most popular and controversial public intellectuals, and he talks about Taoism, a lot. Here, we take a look at his views on the Tao to see if he really knows what this Tao is all about. Later, a listener wants to know how it’s possible to act out of accordance with the Tao and we take a look at chapter 78 of the “Tao Te Ching.”
Why would you devote an entire show to this abrasive human, regardless of whatever your intentions are? I come to the Tao with an open heart but that does not include being gaslit for an hour by this sexist blowhard. I was an avid listener but am unsubscribing because this reeks of clickbait and/or stirring controversy purely for the sake of it.
Ashely,
I am new to this podcast and I can truly relate to your statements on this matter. Not about Jordan Peterson but about coming to the Tao with an open heart.
I just listened to a 2016 podcast where politics was a heavy topic and it is obvious to me that Dr Totton and I have completely different viewpoints. Considering what is happening right now it really made it hard to listen with an open heart. I had to put that away to unpack it later.
This feels like the right place to unpack it as I was studying verse 6 and 7 this morning.
“For this reason the sage puts himself last and so ends up ahead. He stays a witness to life, so he endures.”
Your response seems to be coming from a place of ego and you have made the extreme decision to put aside all that can be learned here because you refuse to listen to what this particular person has to say.
A wonderful poem that I found in my study this morning sums it up nicely, “Everyone is God speaking. Why not be polite and Listen to Him?”