How Sam Harris Changed My Opinion of Jordan Peterson

“This is why Peterson genuinely believes in Dostoevsky’s eminent saying in The Brothers Karamazov: ‘Without God all things are permitted.'”

It has now been just over two years since the first, now-renowned debate between Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson, having taken place  on June 23, 2018. At the time, I was only vaguely aware of Sam Harris and was not overly familiar with his arguments and ideas. However, Peterson was certainly not unfamiliar to me. Like most fans of Peterson’s during that period, I was well-versed with his ideas, books, and lectures. However, I should admit that when I say well-versed, my understanding of his ideas, at the time, was—it turned out—actually rather superficial. Upon reflection, I see now that I was drawn to Peterson as a character, more than I was drawn to him for his actual ideas.

My interest in Peterson led me to pay a substantial amount of money to see him in my hometown of Amsterdam in 2019. I will say clearly, though, that I do not regret at all this purchase—or the time I have spent interacting with Peterson’s material. As I hopefully made clear in my previous Merion West essay (which I will refer back to again later in this essay), there is no escaping the fact that many of Peterson’s ideas resonate with a great many people . Indeed, his ideas hold merit, despite the considerable degree of critique they receive. However, what many of Peterson’s dedicated fans, I believe, fail to understand is that it is not necessary for Peterson’s ideas to align with their own, personal philosophy. This is to say that, as a fan of Peterson’s, one is not required to—all of the sudden—agree with his thoughts on every matter.

With that said, we should bear in mind that—for many—Peterson has become the entry point   or introduction   to various academic subjects, including psychology and religion. As I discovered myself, it is crucial for Peterson’s critics not to underestimate or overlook this point.