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Chris
Order
Order refers to familiar territory and stable, predictable norms. While studying the world’s great mythical and religious stories, Peterson concluded that, to our ancestors, the most important elements in the world weren’t material things, but…
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Chaos
Chaos refers to unexplored territory, the new and unexpected erupting in the midst of what’s commonplace and familiar. While studying the world’s great mythical and religious stories, Peterson concluded that, to our ancestors, the most…
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Being
“Being” refers to reality. As Peterson uses it, the term refers especially to the burden and joy of human existence. Being inevitably involves suffering, but the key to not becoming overwhelmed by suffering, Peterson believes…
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Nihilism
Nihilism is a perspective on human life that basically views existence as meaningless. Such an attitude holds that since nothing ultimately matters, then it doesn’t matter how a person behaves.
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Dominance Hierarchies
Dominance hierarchies are social structures in which successful creatures maintain a high, or dominant, social status—in terms of territory, resources, mating opportunities, and other valuable things—while others tend to get stuck in a low or…
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Get the entire 12 Rules for Life LitChart as a printable PDF.
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical school that emerged over the course of the 20th century, especially among radical Marxist thinkers like Jacques Derrida. Postmodernism tends to view distinctions in society primarily in terms of power…
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