Weak Loser

 Jordan Peterson has a remarkable, brilliant, inspirational 2019, 7 minute  excerpt video (It's Not Okay For You To Be A Weak Loser). This short clip is an anthem, a synopsis for how an individual can get his act together.

Jordan Peterson does not baby individual young people. He challenges them in a brisk, even bracing way. It is a type of egoism that I approve of, though Jordan may not refer to himself as an egoist.

Let me approximately paraphrase Jordan: "It is not okay for you to be a weak loser. You can be way more than that. It is a crime You can be way more than that. It is an ethical crime for you to allow all that necessary potential to go to waste. It hurts you, your family and the world. Turn around and face the suffering voluntarily. You are tougher than you think though life is hard, you are tough enough to handle it.

The spirit in you to pursue something of meaning--you are able to contend with life without getting bitter.

Life is suffering tainted by malevolence. but you can deal with  it, even improve it. This is not naive optimism but is realistic.

You can view yourself as an eternal victim, suffering without cause as nature tries to take you out, society supports and undermines you, and malevolence from self and others hurts you--this triad of evil and tragic forces are more than you can bear, you think as you feel sorry for yourself.

My failure is their fault not my fault. Just take responsibility for your life, not blame any longer cosmic injustice and sociological injustice. If you make excuses, you are missing the great adventure of your life.

Assume responsibility: adopt the adventurous mode of being, for real meaning to be found, meaning transcending you into the community and maybe even humanity itself.

Seek not rights, happiness nor self-esteem. Rather, seek what is meaningful, not what makes you happy.

Seek not what is easy or secure nor happiness. If your problems were all  solved for you, you would have nothing left to do but complain. Difficulty is the destiny and you are up to the task.

Seek what is meaningful not what makes you happy. The meaningful makes you better able to support your family and the community.

Pursue not rights, happiness but responsibility for seeking responsibility is where meaning is found."

Let me comment on this paraphrase, paragraph by paragraph:

1) To be a strong winner is your calling from God and it is an ethical crime to refuse to answer that call and live in God's world. Face the world head on, embrace suffering, maximize your talents and you can do it.

2) Seek after meaning; be an adult and live a purposeful life; waste not your time and psychic energy on negative and bitter obsessions.

3) Life is suffering tainted by malevolence. It is but there is enjoyment and kindness too. Jordan's pessimism is realistic if a bit too dark.

4) You are up against it: life is not easy as nature, society and malevolence from yourself and others all work to undermine your sanity, your sense of hope and your ability to love, think or act. You have suffered but should not see  yourself as the victim.

5) Look not for objects to blame--others, society, the comos. Just accept responsibility for your mistakes, and take control of your life, and assume responsibility for how you live going forward, and you have opened yourself to the greatest adventure of your life.

6) Assume responsbility, for that is where transcendent meaning will appear for you as you influence your family, the community, perhaps humanity itself.

7) Seek not rights, happiness or self-esteem. Seek responsibility and that is where meaning and fulfillment are discovered. Amen, I concur.

8) Face the suffering, and approach what is difficult. Seek to solve your own problems not having all solved for you, for that you bored, directionless and with nothing but complaints to offer. Pursue your destiny.

9) Seek what is meaningful, and your contribution will improve your community and perhaps humanity itself in transcendent ways.

10) Seek responsibility for that is where meaning is discovered and unfolds itself.

This short video by Jordan goes a long ways towards offering a young person a road map for building a strong, responsible life. It could serve as a guide map for maverizing too. Well, said, Jordan, well conceived.