12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson (Summary)

This is animated summary of a book:
12 Rules of Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson

00:00 Intro
Jordan Peterson discern that order and chaos are the two earliest forces of the Cosmos. It is like the yang and yin of the famous Taoist symbol: order is the white, masculine serpent and chaos is the black, feminine counterpart. The black dot in the white— and the white in the black—indicate the possibility of transformation: just when things seem secure, the unknown can loom, unexpectedly and large. Chaos is where depression, anxiety, and suffering exist.

01:28 Rule no. 1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back.
Social status is important in life outcomes. Higher serotonin level can be an internal mediator of social status. If you feel dominant, more serotonin circulates in your bloodstream. On the other hand, low serotonin is associated with less happiness, more illness, and shorter lifespan.

02:17 Rule no. 2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.
Treat yourself the way you would treat your children or your pets. Believe that you are worth helping! When sick, go to a doctor. When in pain, seek a comfort. When the lifestyle is unhealthy, change it! This is not an indication of being selfish but instead it is to help yourself to that same category as others you care about.

02:56 Rule no. 3: Make friends with people who want the best for you.
Friendship is a reciprocal arrangement. It’s not a selfish thing to choose people who are good for you. According to Peterson’s Rule 3, while some people may really be capable of improving, some aren’t. People who don’t want to improve can’t be helped. Always choose people who wants to see you succeed.

03:41 Rule no. 4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday.
Consistently bargain with yourself to make small incremental positive changes in your life. It is very fulfilling to see and know gradual improvements with your life no matter how small it is. It will make you more motivated.

04:12 Rule no. 5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike him.
Children aren’t born ready for life. They need training and feedbacks on how to navigate human society. According to Peterson’s Rule no. 5, children are naturally curious and exploratory and they constantly test limits to figure out where the boundaries are.

05:01 Rule no. 6: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.
You’re responsible with your own misfortune! Do not blame others or the world. Misfortunes are inevitable but there is still potential for redemption, to learn from it and do good despite the circumstances. Despite the suffering you experienced, you have the potential to reverse it and make the world better.

05:34 Rule no. 7: Pursue what is meaningful not what is expedient.
Stop doing the things that you know you shouldn’t be doing! Do the things that you know provides your life a meaning. Yes, life is full of suffering but do not take the expedient path! Indulging short-term pleasures and put off long-term commitments is very wrong. It will make your future self, worse off than better.

06:29 Rule no. 8: Tell the truth or at least don’t lie.
Avoid deception for whatever reason and avoid self-deception. Everyday, we may lie to the world and get what we want just to avoid pain. We tell lies to appear more competent and gain status.

07:17 Rule no. 9: Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don’t.
Let the other person talk! Always go into every conversation trusting that you have something to learn. Do not just wait for the time to respond—actually listen. According to Peterson, people talk because that is how they think.

08:20 Rule no. 10: Be precise in your speech.
Always define the problems clearly and exactly! Don’t just left a problem unsolved. Instead, put your problems into precise words. Give form to your problem – only then will you be able to deal with it. According to Peterson, once your clearly identify the problem, you will likely realize that you were far more afraid than you should have been, and you now have a specific target to confront.

08:58 Rule no. 11: Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.
Modern society requires gender equality. Gender equality means equal opportunity, rights, and treatment. However, according to Peterson, the idea of complete equality itself is flawed.

09:53 Rule no. 12: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.
Life is tough. The pain that we are going through, is the one that gives meaning to life. Take time to enjoy the little pleasures in life. Pet a cat when you see one on the street. Another response, which only partially mitigates the suffering, is to acknowledge that limitation is critical to making existence meaningful.

#12rulesforlife #jordanpeterson #bestseller