Facing Malevolence And Why You Need To
I am fascinated by Jordan Peterson. How he comes from Northern Alberta and combines the pragmatism of many people living there and puts it into conversation with philosophy and even theology. He sure struck a cord with many people. You get people from both the liberal and conservative side, the gay and straight, the religious and atheist sides alike hating him and adoring him. Experience has taught me that people that garner this kind of support and opposition are usually onto something important and even should you disagree with some things they are saying, very good food for your thought and your growth.
In a talk I listened to this morning Peterson uses three Bible stories and draws very interesting parallels between them. The Adam and Eve story in Genesis, The story of Joseph, also in Genesis and the story of the prophet Jonah found in the book of Jonah in the Bible.
He sees these stories as meta-narratives in the sense that they describe not only what has played out in one particular story but what plays out in every life story. What we have in these stories is tales of systems collapsing and the effect it has on people. In all of these stories we have people testing boundaries. Adam and Eve with their transgression, Joseph with his idle dreams of greatness in his family structure and Jonah with his boat cruise to neverland, away from what God had in mind as his destiny. In all three cases the result of this testing was that the humans involved found them lacking. When they test the boundaries, they are plunged in a crisis. Adam and Eve loses paradise, Jonah ends up in the belly of a whale and Joseph in jail. In all three cases they motivation for testing the boundaries seem to have been security and safety. Adam and Eve wanted to know more, Joseph wanted to be elevated to a higher status in the family hierarchy and Jonah wanted to avoid confrontation. The result is tragedy, a momentary loss of meaning and bout of depression (Jonah in the whale and the “depths”)
or deprivation (Adam out of paradise and Joseph in jail). In a zeal to secure and safeguard themselves they achieved almost the exact opposite and ended up vulnerable and exposed.
In a way all of them transform into honorable when their characters go through these experiences uncorrupted. In this regard Jonah might be the exception as the last chapter seems to suggest he is embittered and disgruntled. The book does end open ended though, leaving the door of hope open that Jonah did respond appropriately and in that reached greater maturity. Joseph’s character growth is shown in his resistance to sexual temptation and in his forgiving and providential attitude toward his brothers. Adam and Even are given clothes and a future in spite of the tragedy f loss that played out in their lives.
So if I understand Peterson correctly, he seem to suggest that this desire for security and safety and our attempts to attain it, exposes the inadequacy of the systems we find ourselves in. Sometimes people simply jump from one system to the other but for many if not most, the collapse of the meaning of one system goes apart with a collapse of identity and security that can be quite unsettling. It can and does break and corrupt some but in many others it builds character and maturity. It matures a person into someone better able and equipped to take responsibility and face the malevolence of their own lives. One of the biggest mistakes a therapist or parent can make, is to solve problems and eliminate challenges for people on their behalf, challenges that hid an opportunity for growth of character.
Ironically and paradoxically then, the thing that actually brought stability and a measure of security and safety back to these people’s lives, were the loss of it. A life centered around security and stability is what Peterson calls a “Rabbit-in-a-hole” kind of life. It is in actual fact one of the most insecure and least safe ways to live your life. Exposure to challenge can be one of the greatest gifts a parent, therapist or God could bestow on someone. Willfully exposing yourself to tough situations and challenges could be the greatest gift you can give yourself. Should your character remain in tact, it will be strengthened and it will unlock life for yourself as well as others.
Lord Jesus, don’t keep me safe. Keep me ready. Keep my character intact and exceedingly stronger despite trials. Help me to have the courgae to find life by letting it go.
Gabriel J Snyman
July 27th 2020