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When I read “12 Rules for Life”


We were talking about recent books that we were reading then, and he happened to mention this masterpiece to me. And that was how I came to know about Jordan B. Peterson. As time got by, I got curious. So, I actually looked for the book at a couple of places. He had said that it was one of his favorite books, and now, now I know why.

Jordan B. Peterson takes us through 12 rules, which he deems as an antidote to chaos. As if the tagline of the book hadn’t given it away enough, Peterson talks about order and chaos. Chaos is the realm of limitless possibilities, unsuitable for life. It is where depression, anxiety and suffering find a home. Order, on the other hand, is the world of rules, predictability, explanations, science, and conformity. The big idea is that life is a careful game of balance between the two that oppose each other.  

  1.        Stand up straight with your shoulders back
  2.        Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
  3.        Make friends with people who want the best for you
  4.        Compare yourself with you were yesterday, not who someone else is today
  5.        Do not let children do anything that makes you dislike them
  6.       Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
  7.       Pursue what is meaning (not what is expedient)
  8.       Tell the truth, or at least don’t lie
  9.       Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t
  10.       Be precise in your speech
  11.       Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
  12.       Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street

When I looked at the list of rules before I started about the book, a few of them seemed questioning while others seemed straight to the point. But Peterson has a way with words. He will take you through this most fascinating journey in every rule, with stories, facts, background information, and perhaps even random things sometimes, only to bring you back to the main argument and go “yep, he’s right! That makes sense!” And of course, Peterson finds his way around humor too. I found myself laughing at several clever phrases in the book.

There are so many great lines and moments to go by in this book, but my favorite would have to be:

“If the world you are seeing is not the world you want, therefore, it’s time to examine your values. It’s time to rid yourself of your current presuppositions. It’s time to let go. It might even be time to sacrifice what you love best, so you can become who you might become, instead of staying who you are.”

Often, we end up staying where we are, because we are hesitant to step out of our comfort zone. But change is inevitable; change can be uncomfortable and change starts with you.

Peterson describes a purpose-driven life that tells each individual: there is a way and he/she is capable of making a better tomorrow than today and that there is wisdom in forgotten or despised places. “12 rules for life” is simple and helps a person and respect the person he or she sees.

Thank you so much Sanyam for telling me about this book. It’s definitely a must read.

I’m going to attach a pdf link here so you can have a look at the book yourself, should you be interested.

https://www.academia.edu/36860531/12_Rules_for_Life_An_Antidote_to_Chaos.pdf

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