Maps of Meaning

"Maps of Meaning" by Jordan B. Peterson is a wide-ranging and deeply thoughtful book that explores how people create and find meaning in their lives. The author combines mythology, psychology, and history to reveal how ancient stories and myths shape our perception of the world and provide a framework for understanding human nature. The book explores how myths help people navigate chaos, identify with cultural norms, and achieve personal transformation. Peterson shows that myths are not just fantasies, but deeply rooted tools that help us face the unknown, overcome fear, and live meaningful lives.

Humans and rats share a similar mechanism when encountering the unknown. Rats, when placed in a new cage, initially freeze up out of fear of the unknown environment. Gradually, they begin to explore their new surroundings, making them more familiar and less threatening. Similarly, humans navigate the world based on fear of the unknown, which can be both frightening and exciting. Dividing the world into the known and the unknown is key to understanding human behavior. The familiar represents everything that is known to us and that we can easily understand. We feel safe and at ease in this explored territory. The unknown, on the other hand, includes everything that is beyond our current understanding, which causes anxiety and fear. For example, if we receive a letter with unknown contents that says "Open at your own risk," we will feel mixed feelings of anxiety and curiosity. Encounters with the unknown can vary in intensity. If the unknown is too unexpected, it makes us more fearful. Our reactions to the unknown depend on how we relate to what we don't know. If we know that a letter has been sent by a friend, we will be less nervous about opening it. However, we will often confront the unknown out of curiosity in order to reduce our emotional tension and transform the unknown into the familiar. Unlike rats, humans can explore the unknown not only physically but also mentally. Imagine receiving a letter, pondering it and theorizing about who sent it and why, trying to penetrate its meaning. Our thoughts and actions help us turn the unknown into the known, creating a sense of security. Our curiosity plays an important role in exploring the unknown. Overcoming our initial fear of the unknown allows us to explore and expand our understanding of the world. This process is natural for humans and important for our growth and adaptation to new situations. By making meaning out of the unknown, we strengthen our position in the world and reduce the uncertainty that surrounds us.

Stories play a key role in our understanding of the world by helping us navigate complex situations through emotional meaning. Our feelings are crucial in determining whether something is good or bad for us, influencing our behaviour and decision-making. For example, a piece of cheesecake may have different meanings for different people depending on their emotional and cultural contexts. Scientific rationalism provides us with facts, but often fails to capture the affective meaning of things that is central to our everyday decision-making. Emotions help us navigate the world, as we often determine without conscious effort whether to approach or avoid something. This emotional framework allows us to make sense of our environment and create a comprehensible map of it. Historically, stories and myths have served as tools to explain the unknown and reduce the fear of chaos. For example, the Mesopotamian creation myth, where the hero Marduk created the universe from pieces of the dragon Tiamat, helped people understand and cope with unpleasant aspects of life, such as storms and snake bites. Such stories transformed the unknown into something more familiar and less threatening. Stories also provide a framework for emotional meaning that science cannot provide. In ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, or Rome, myths and legends about gods, kings, and heroes not only explained natural phenomena but also provided models of behavior and values that society shared. These stories were important for creating meaning and order in people's lives. Today, stories play a similar role. For example, modern films, books and fairy tales not only entertain but also teach us about morality, the value of courage and the importance of sacrifice for the greater good. Stories help us understand complex social and psychological phenomena and provide models for our own behaviour and decision-making. By providing emotionally rich and meaningful explanations of the world, stories help us not only survive but thrive in a chaotic and often unpredictable world. In this way, stories become an integral part of our culture and psychology, shaping our understanding of the world and our place in it.

Myths that occur across cultures often share a basic structure that reflects universal aspects of human experience while providing models for social organization and individual behavior. These stories share some key elements that give them power and relevance for different societies. One of the main elements of the myths is the personification of the unknown as the primordial, all-encompassing force of nature from which all life originates. This creative and destructive force is often depicted as a female figure. For example, in Mesopotamian myth, this force is represented by the fierce mother dragon Tiamat, who created various creatures and was cut into pieces from which the universe was formed. In Sumerian myth, this role is attributed to the sea goddess Nammu, who gave rise to the earth and the sky. This female figure, representing the unknown, is often referred to as the Great and Terrible Mother. Her "great" side is associated with creative power and potential, while the "terrible" side manifests as threat and chaos. The Terrible Mother may appear as a monster, a storm or an evil stepmother, while the Great Mother may be a hidden treasure, a magical place or a fairy godmother. Opposing this figure is the Great and Terrible Father, who represents cultural structures and protection from chaos. This archetype is often depicted as an old king or patriarchal figure. The Great Father can be wise and protective, symbolizing stability and order, or tyrannical and oppressive, representing rigidity and control. The hero of myth is one who straddles these two forces - the unknown and the known, nature and culture. The hero embarks on a journey into the unknown, facing the challenges and dangers posed by the negative aspects of nature and culture, and bringing back knowledge and order. These myths serve not only to explain natural phenomena, but also as models for social order and individual behaviour. In many cultures, myths have provided a framework for the legitimation of power and set norms for the use of that power. The Mesopotamian emperor, for example, was regarded as an emissary of the mythical hero Marduk, who created the universe from pieces of the dragon Tiamat. This association with the mythical hero provided the emperor with divine legitimacy and the role of creating order out of chaos. Myths also often depict a struggle between generations of kings or gods to show the dual nature of culture - its protective and tyrannical aspects. In Egyptian cosmology, for example, the divine king Osiris represents the traditional, stable but also rigid aspect of culture. Osiris, though not a tyrant, is too stuck in his ways to recognize the evil in his brother Seth, who eventually kills him and takes the throne. The hero, Osiris' son Horus, represents innovation and the need to update cultural values. Horus ventures into the underworld to bring back his father. In the process, he finds Osiris blind and lends him one of his eyes so that he can see again. Together they emerge from the underworld to reclaim the throne. This story demonstrates how a culture must strike a balance between tradition and innovation in order to survive and thrive. In addition to societal role models, myths have also provided guidelines for individual behavior. The hero's courageous act of creative exploration served as an example of how to deal with the unknown. The hero shows that true heroism lies in the courage to face challenges and dangers, not in hiding or running away. The hero is often confronted by an evil counterpart who serves as a warning against misbehavior. For example, Horus's evil Uncle Set demonstrates cowardice and disrespect for the divine order by killing Osiris and gaining the throne in a dishonorable manner. He is eventually punished for his actions, and thus the myth emphasizes the moral lesson that evil and dishonesty have no place in society. Myths thus provided not only models for social organization but also a moral compass for individual behavior. In an era before formal religions and laws, myths served as the primary means of transmitting values and norms that shaped individual behavior and reinforced the social order.

When we are children, parents protect us from the unknown and provide us with values to guide us. They embody the culture in which we live, and their advice and protection help us to survive. However, part of growing up and achieving autonomy is a process of emancipation, where we learn to replace parental values and protection with the values and protection of the wider culture. In the first stage of adolescence, we begin to identify with a larger cultural group, often rejecting parental authority. This period of rebellion is a natural step during which teenagers try to find their place in society by adopting the values of their peers. This process of socialization is paradoxical because by gaining autonomy from parents, we also submit to the new rules and norms of society. Cultural rules and norms provide a meaningful framework that helps us navigate the world. Although these rules may be arbitrary, they provide a structure that keeps the unknown at bay and allows us to function in society. However, identification with culture should not be total and uncritical. Individuals who completely identify with cultural rules without question are susceptible to abuse by the tyrannical side of the Great Father, leading to authoritarianism and fascism. This is where myths and their protective role against uncritical identification with culture come into play. Myths promote individual identification with the hero who dares to go his own way and is not afraid to overthrow tyrannical power if necessary. The hero is loyal to his fellows and his heroism serves the greater social good. Therefore, the second stage of emancipation must be to become the hero of one's own story. The hero's story shows us that facing the unknown is essential for our growth and development. Whether it is discovering new possibilities, overcoming personal challenges or bringing innovation to society, the hero is a model of courage and creative exploration. This process is not only about personal growth, but also about contributing to the common good and protecting ourselves from abuses of power. Myths teach us that living a meaningful life means identifying with the hero and his journey, which is full of challenges and unknowns but leads to personal and social enrichment. By charting our own path and constantly seeking new knowledge, we fulfil our potential and contribute to the evolution of culture and society.

The existence of the unknown is an integral part of life. We are constantly surrounded by things we do not understand and often face unexpected situations that disrupt our normal life. Culture provides us with some protection from this chaos, but anomalies can find us even in the most controlled environments. Anomalies threaten the stability of our psyche and society because they force us to adapt to new circumstances. Unintentional encounters with the unknown can be uncomfortable and frightening, but they are also opportunities for growth and change. When the anomaly of the unknown is too big to incorporate into our current worldview, it can cause a full-blown crisis. Such revolutionary anomalies can occur at different levels. At the cultural level, they can be the result of a natural disaster, a foreign invasion, or a political crisis. At the individual level, they can arise as a result of a death in the family, a career setback, or an unpleasant personal revelation. These events force us to rethink our current understanding of the world and adapt to new realities. Minor anomalies require normal adaptation, which happens almost automatically. Imagine leaving the office for a meeting but finding that the elevator is broken. You simply take the stairs and handle the situation without much stress. However, larger anomalies require revolutionary adaptations that can fundamentally change our view of the world and our goals. Imagine that after a successful business meeting, your boss calls you up and says he is not happy with your performance and suggests a career change. This new information can rock your world and cause a deep personal crisis. After the initial shock, however, you may find that you have never been happy with your job and that you have always wanted to do something different. This revolutionary adaptation allows you to find a new direction and meaning in life. Anomalies force us to update our models of the world and our understanding of ourselves. If anomalies keep accumulating, it is a sign that our current model of the world no longer suits us and we need to rethink it. This need for adaptation is the basis of our personal growth and development. Ultimately, the anomalies and challenges we face push us to be more flexible, resilient and open to new possibilities. By learning to adapt to the unknown, we not only survive but thrive, increasing our ability to face future challenges and contingencies.

Our limitations are an essential part of our existence and provide us with the foundation for a meaningful life. This concept is illustrated by the symbol of the ouroboros, a snake eating its own tail, which represents the primordial state of the universe where everything is in perfect harmony. This symbol first appeared in ancient Babylon and is also found in various other cultures around the world. In Christian mythology, this state of harmony and preexistence is represented by the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, the first human beings in this garden, are not yet truly human in the sense we understand it today. They have no consciousness of death, pain or sorrow, and thus know nothing else. But their consciousness changes radically when they eat the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. This act leads to their expulsion from Paradise, symbolizing the beginning of their humanity. Adam and Eve gain self-awareness and with it the consciousness of death and suffering. This is the point at which the world divides into life and death, order and chaos, good and evil. This division is necessary for them to live a full and meaningful life. The Christian creation myth shows that our flaws and limitations are the basis of our existence. If there were no evil, how could we know good? If we did not have the ability to do evil, how could we take pride in doing good? And if we never had to die, what would life mean to us? Life and death, good and evil, order and chaos are inevitable polarities that give meaning to our existence. Without these contrasts, our lives would lose meaning. Christian myth teaches us that our human flaws and limitations give us the ability to create and find meaning in this world. We are called to face these limitations and polarities and create our own path that is meaningful and authentic. Our limitations also force us to be creative and seek new solutions. They are the source of our strength and motivation to grow. By accepting our limitations and learning from them, we can better understand ourselves and the world around us. This allows us to live a full life and fulfill our potential, contributing to the overall evolution of society and culture.

One of the most mysterious features of human nature is our capacity to do evil. In today's world, we often perceive evil as the result of a psychological disorder, poor upbringing, or unfavourable social and economic conditions. However, the German philosopher Hannah Arendt drew attention to the "banality of evil" during the Third Reich, implying that even ordinary people are capable of committing evil, often without realising its extent. Evil is essentially the refusal to creatively explore, and we are all capable of it. Many myths, especially religious myths, deal with the issue of evil by personifying it. One of the most famous personifications of evil is Satan in Christian mythology. Satan is a fallen angel who was banished from heaven because of his arrogance and delusions of grandeur. He is often associated with intellectual arrogance, ignorance, and deception, including self-deception. Goethe's Faust describes him as "a spirit that is in constant denial". Satan denies the very existence of the unknown. Although the unknown is frightening, it is not in itself evil. It is the denial of the possibility of growth and knowledge offered by the creative exploration of the unknown that is the real evil. Satan thus represents the antihero who embodies the human tendency to avoid, repress, and deny anomalies, thereby preventing successful adaptation and growth. This denial of creative exploration manifests itself in seeking solace in blind adherence to cultural and traditional values on the one hand, and self-admiration and self-indulgence on the other. The first path leads to authoritarianism and fascism, where people carry out evil under the pretext of following orders. The second path leads to decadence, where people deny any responsibility for their actions and the state of the world around them. Instead of seeking structural explanations for evil, myths help us to understand the evil within each of us and show us how we can choose a different path. Myths teach us that in order to reach our full potential and live a meaningful life, we must embrace the unknown and embark on a journey of creative exploration. To reject this path is to deny the possibilities for growth and improvement, and thus we choose the path of evil. By identifying with the heroes of myth who face the unknown and overcome it, we can find the courage and motivation to embark on our own creative journey. This journey leads us to personal growth, a better understanding of the world, and an active contribution to the evolution of society and culture. Evil can only be overcome by facing our challenges, facing our fears, and constantly seeking new knowledge and solutions.

"Maps of Meaning" by Jordan B. Peterson explores how people create meaning in their lives through mythology, psychology, and history. The book reveals that ancient myths and stories provide basic models of behavior and social norms that help us cope with the unknown and chaos. Peterson shows that all myths share a universal structure that involves the hero facing challenges, transforming fear of the unknown into knowledge and order. Myths also serve as guides for individual and social adaptation, helping us to overcome crises and find a balance between tradition and innovation. The book emphasizes the importance of creative exploration and rejecting the evil of denying growth and knowledge. "Maps of Meaning" thus teaches us how to live a meaningful and authentic life by embracing challenges and constantly seeking new possibilities.