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November 24, 2021 - 7:00am
Last night, at Lady Mitchell Hall at Cambridge University, the Canadian psychologist and intellectual Dr Jordan Peterson made an appearance that has been more than two years in the making.
His speech was was preceded by an announcement by two of the university proctors, dressed in full academic robes, that they were “present to uphold freedom of speech.”
In an hour-long address, delivered without notes, an upbeat Dr Peterson took the theme of “perception” and moved through neuroscience, theology, politics and opera to argue against the idea that our understanding of categories and reality is determined by oppressive or patriarchal cognitive habits that must be unlearned. Instead, he said, the truth of things calls out to us and, being moved to tears more than once, described how great art and religious buildings made the miracle of perception apparent.
A lone female demonstrator emerged from the wings at one of these more dramatic moments, dressed as a lobster (in reference to the famous invocation of lobsters as an example of a dominance hierarchy in Peterson’s book 12 Rules for Life), shouted ‘feminism’ and disappeared. Dr Peterson laughed and said that, as far as protests go, he found it quite witty. There were no protestors outside the auditorium.
In early 2019, an invitation to spend time at Cambridge as a visiting academic was rescinded after a small campaign of complaints. It became one of the most talked-about examples of “cancel culture” and spurred into action a network of faculty members at Cambridge who were determined to reverse what they saw as a descent into intellectual cowardice and a surrender of the principles of free enquiry.
Arif Ahmed, David Butterfield and Douglas Headley are some of the academics in this group, but on this occasion Dr Peterson was invited by James Orr, a member of the faculty of Divinity. Stephen Blackwood of Ralston College was also closely involved in the trip.
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SubscribeKnowing that this happened, and that it wasn’t met with a barrage of abuse from the usual suspects, has pretty much made my week!
you’re not wrong! me too
Agreed. And even more poignant is JBPs health and that of his family has vastly improved.
Hear, hear, Hayden!
This is a cause for celebration for what is a small but significant step back towards freedom and sanity.
I agree with the comments posted, but as a reality check, the fact that this is news, or worthy of such accolades, shows how far that the West, and the unis writ large have fallen. When a respected academic, author, and popular culture figure speaks at a uni it should not be a big deal.
There is still much work to do in the battle to defeat the woke.
Delighted to hear this. Is the woke boat running into some headwinds? Perhaps all the real nutters have decamped to planet Trans.
Perhaps someone finally counted how many there actually are, and who they represent (ie a tiny shouty minority, and merely themselves)
‘One Swallow does not a Summer make’, but it is a hopeful sign.
The exact words that I was going to post 🙂
Hopeful nonetheless, and I was particularly taken by Dr Arif Ahmed’s words.
I can only hope that this marks the start of a journey back to sanity for all our universities.
Quite made my day, common sense returning.
Very good to hear!
Great news. No one is more deserving of these honors than Dr. Peterson. But I must agree with Mr. Joyce, too. A world in which a speech in a centuries-old university by a mildly conservative and classically trained academic is viewed as a major milestone is a strange world indeed!
But certainly you understand the source of relief that causes it to be noteworthy, yes? I loved the visual of a lone feminist in a lobster costume, and I’m pleased that he found it to be clever. Just imagine the relief that he himself felt to not be barraged by a contemptuous and rowdy opposition. It is a signal of a wind change and is indeed heartening news.
That’s great news.
Good to know that, at last, some academics are beginning the fight to take back control of these historical institutions. It says a lot about Jordan Peterson that he agreed to come back to the place where a few bigots treated him so shamefully. I wonder why the usual suspects were silent on this occasion: is the tide turning so soon? Unlikely, but a glimmer of light at last.
The woman in the Lobster costume added a great flourish to it….
Let’s hope that Peterson’s talk is videotaped and is posted on the web. My Peterson cup is empty.
For he’s a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny, and quite a wise one too.
Let’s hope this remains the case…
A good news day. Thanks!
I am both relieved and delighted! Looking forward to watching on youtube!
FEMINISM
____ / __\ |: /---) \ / ___ \:( _/ \ / /_ \ \ \ \/ \_\::) \_ \ _0""0_ / _/ \ \/= \/ =\/ / \ | (||) | / \_\______/_/ __// \\__ /__//====\\__\ _ //__//====\\__\\ _ _ //__//====\\__\\ _ _ // /( )\ \\ _ _ / /( )\ \ _ |( )| / \ / /||\ \\:_/\_:/
Yes, it’s an encouraging sign, so let’s hope we will see more of this. That said, from the same university, this is not so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCUWclE6vuw
I live near a Uni supposedly in the throes of wokeness. I drive through the campus occasionally and town is a student dorm. Impression I know but it all looks like they’re just getting on with typical student stuff. 50 people with placards at some demo? Same in the seventies- a few tedious people in the Union and in various therapy groups for their insecurities posing as a political or identity grouping. A few crackpot egoists too who wanted to be in politics
And they got into politics, and look what is happening.
Thank God. May reason prevail.
“Just rejoice at that news,” as someone once remarked.