“Don’t Lie”
I recently listened to a long book on Audible that caused me to analyze my own behavior and vow to make a change in my life. I have learned a lot from the controversial book, 12 Rules for Life—An Antidote to Chaos, by the controversial author, Jordan B. Peterson. The chapter that stopped me in my tracks was Rule #8: “Tell the truth – or, at least, don’t lie.”
Peterson talks angrily about the devastating consequences of being deceitful in several chapters of his book, which tell in detail the dark side of life because of the cruelty of many tyrants’ sinful behavior. This is one of his quotes: “And above all don’t lie. Don’t lie about anything ever. Lying leads to hell. It was the great and the small lies of the Nazi and Communist states that produced the deaths of millions of people.”
In the chapter on Rule 8, Peterson goes into detail about the myriad of ways we lie to people, and hurt ourselves at the same time, such as intentionally deceiving someone, telling “white lies,” sharing part of the truth but not the whole truth, and staying silent when we know we should speak up and say something. After listening to this chapter, I decided I needed to become more intentionally honest in everything I do and say. I also decided to start being more courageous when I know in my heart that I need to say something to someone.
I believe I should always say, in a kind way, what I think is the truth to each person with whom I converse. If I later gather more information, have new experiences, or my opinion changes for any reason on a certain subject, then I can go back to that person and explain that I now feel differently than I did before.
All of Peterson’s rules make sense to me, and I continue to ponder on his book. For now, I’m trying to train myself to strictly follow Rule 8: “Tell the truth – or, at least, don’t lie.”
12 Rules for Life—An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan B. Peterson
Rule 1
Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Rule 2
Treat yourself like you would someone you are responsible for helping
Rule 3
Make friends with people who want the best for you
Rule 4
Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today
Rule 5
Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
Rule 6
Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
Rule 7
Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
Rule 8
Tell the truth – or, at least, don’t lie
Rule 9
Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t
Rule 10
Be precise in your speech
Rule 11
Do not bother children when they are skate-boarding
Rule 12
Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
This article is a summary of this 15-hour book and six of Peterson’s quotes.