JordanB.Peterson

12RULESFORLIFE

AnAntidoteforChaos

ForewordbyNormanDoidgeIllustrationsbyEthanVanScriver

TableofContents

ForewordbyNormanDoidge

Overture

RULE1/Standupstraightwithyourshouldersback

RULE2/Treatyourselflikesomeoneyouareresponsibleforhelping

RULE3/Makefriendswithpeoplewhowantthebestforyou

RULE4/Compareyourselftowhoyouwereyesterday,nottowhosomeoneelseistoday

RULE5/Donotletyourchildrendoanythingthatmakesyoudislikethem

RULE6/Setyourhouseinperfectorderbeforeyoucriticizetheworld

RULE7/Pursuewhatismeaningful(notwhatisexpedient)

RULE8/Tellthetruth—or,atleast,don’tlie

RULE9/Assumethatthepersonyouarelisteningtomightknowsomethingyoudon’t

RULE10/Bepreciseinyourspeech

RULE11/Donotbotherchildrenwhentheyareskateboarding

RULE12/Petacatwhenyouencounteroneonthestreet

Coda

Endnotes

Acknowledgements

FollowPenguin

Foreword

Rules?Morerules?Really?Isn’tlifecomplicatedenough,restrictingenough,withoutabstractrulesthatdon’ttakeourunique,individualsituationsintoaccount?Andgiventhatourbrainsareplastic,andalldevelopdifferentlybasedonourlifeexperiences,whyevenexpectthatafewrulesmightbehelpfultousall?Peopledon’tclamourforrules,evenintheBible…aswhenMosescomes

downthemountain,afteralongabsence,bearingthetabletsinscribedwithtencommandments,andfindstheChildrenofIsraelinrevelry.They’dbeenPharaoh’sslavesandsubjecttohistyrannicalregulationsforfourhundredyears,andafterthatMosessubjectedthemtotheharshdesertwildernessforanotherfortyyears,topurifythemoftheirslavishness.Now,freeatlast,theyareunbridled,andhavelostallcontrolastheydancewildlyaroundanidol,agoldencalf,displayingallmannerofcorporealcorruption.“I’vegotsomegoodnews…andI’vegotsomebadnews,”thelawgiveryells

tothem.“Whichdoyouwantfirst?”“Thegoodnews!”thehedonistsreply.“IgotHimfromfifteencommandmentsdowntoten!”“Hallelujah!”criestheunrulycrowd.“Andthebad?”“Adulteryisstillin.”Sorulestherewillbe—but,please,nottoomany.Weareambivalentabout

rules,evenwhenweknowtheyaregoodforus.Ifwearespiritedsouls,ifwehavecharacter,rulesseemrestrictive,anaffronttooursenseofagencyandourprideinworkingoutourownlives.Whyshouldwebejudgedaccordingtoanother’srule?Andjudgedweare.Afterall,Goddidn’tgiveMoses“TheTenSuggestions,”

hegaveCommandments;andifI’mafreeagent,myfirstreactiontoacommandmightjustbethatnobody,notevenGod,tellsmewhattodo,evenifit’sgoodforme.Butthestoryofthegoldencalfalsoremindsusthatwithoutruleswequicklybecomeslavestoourpassions—andthere’snothingfreeingaboutthat.Andthestorysuggestssomethingmore:unchaperoned,andlefttoourown

untutoredjudgment,wearequicktoaimlowandworshipqualitiesthatare

beneathus—inthiscase,anartificialanimalthatbringsoutourownanimalinstinctsinacompletelyunregulatedway.TheoldHebrewstorymakesitclearhowtheancientsfeltaboutourprospectsforcivilizedbehaviourintheabsenceofrulesthatseektoelevateourgazeandraiseourstandards.OneneatthingabouttheBiblestoryisthatitdoesn’tsimplylistitsrules,as

lawyersorlegislatorsoradministratorsmight;itembedstheminadramatictalethatillustrateswhyweneedthem,therebymakingthemeasiertounderstand.Similarly,inthisbookProfessorPetersondoesn’tjustproposehistwelverules,hetellsstories,too,bringingtobearhisknowledgeofmanyfieldsasheillustratesandexplainswhythebestrulesdonotultimatelyrestrictusbutinsteadfacilitateourgoalsandmakeforfuller,freerlives.

ThefirsttimeImetJordanPetersonwasonSeptember12,2004,atthehomeoftwomutualfriends,TVproducerWodekSzembergandmedicalinternistEsteraBekier.ItwasWodek’sbirthdayparty.WodekandEsteraarePolishémigréswhogrewupwithintheSovietempire,whereitwasunderstoodthatmanytopicswereofflimits,andthatcasuallyquestioningcertainsocialarrangementsandphilosophicalideas(nottomentiontheregimeitself)couldmeanbigtrouble.Butnow,hostandhostessluxuriatedineasygoing,honesttalk,byhaving

elegantpartiesdevotedtothepleasureofsayingwhatyoureallythoughtandhearingothersdothesame,inanuninhibitedgive-and-take.Here,therulewas“Speakyourmind.”Iftheconversationturnedtopolitics,peopleofdifferentpoliticalpersuasionsspoketoeachother—indeed,lookedforwardtoit—inamannerthatisincreasinglyrare.SometimesWodek’sownopinions,ortruths,explodedoutofhim,asdidhislaugh.Thenhe’dhugwhoeverhadmadehimlaughorprovokedhimtospeakhismindwithgreaterintensitythanevenhemighthaveintended.Thiswasthebestpartoftheparties,andthisfrankness,andhiswarmembraces,madeitworthprovokinghim.Meanwhile,Estera’svoiceliltedacrosstheroomonaveryprecisepathtowardsitsintendedlistener.Truthexplosionsdidn’tmaketheatmosphereanylesseasygoingforthecompany—theymadeformoretruthexplosions!—liberatingus,andmorelaughs,andmakingthewholeeveningmorepleasant,becausewithde-repressingEasternEuropeansliketheSzemberg-Bekiers,youalwaysknewwithwhatandwithwhomyouweredealing,andthatfranknesswasenlivening.HonorédeBalzac,thenovelist,oncedescribedtheballsandpartiesinhisnativeFrance,observingthatwhatappearedtobeasinglepartywasalwaysreallytwo.Inthefirsthours,thegatheringwassuffusedwithboredpeopleposingandposturing,andattendeeswhocametomeetperhapsonespecialpersonwhowouldconfirmthemintheirbeautyandstatus.Then,onlyintheverylatehours,

aftermostoftheguestshadleft,wouldthesecondparty,therealparty,begin.Heretheconversationwassharedbyeachpersonpresent,andopen-heartedlaughterreplacedthestarchyairs.AtEsteraandWodek’sparties,thiskindofwee-hours-of-the-morningdisclosureandintimacyoftenbeganassoonasweenteredtheroom.Wodekisasilver-haired,lion-manedhunter,alwaysonthelookoutfor

potentialpublicintellectuals,whoknowshowtospotpeoplewhocanreallytalkinfrontofaTVcameraandwholookauthenticbecausetheyare(thecamerapicksuponthat).Heofteninvitessuchpeopletothesesalons.ThatdayWodekbroughtapsychologyprofessor,frommyownUniversityofToronto,whofitthebill:intellectandemotionintandem.WodekwasthefirsttoputJordanPetersoninfrontofacamera,andthoughtofhimasateacherinsearchofstudents—becausehewasalwaysreadytoexplain.Andithelpedthathelikedthecameraandthatthecameralikedhimback.

ThatafternoontherewasalargetablesetoutsideintheSzemberg-Bekiers’garden;arounditwasgatheredtheusualcollectionoflipsandears,andloquaciousvirtuosos.Weseemed,however,tobeplaguedbyabuzzingpaparazziofbees,andherewasthisnewfellowatthetable,withanAlbertanaccent,incowboyboots,whowasignoringthem,andkeptontalking.Hekepttalkingwhiletherestofuswereplayingmusicalchairstokeepawayfromthepests,yetalsotryingtoremainatthetablebecausethisnewadditiontoourgatheringswassointeresting.Hehadthisoddhabitofspeakingaboutthedeepestquestionstowhoeverwas

atthistable—mostofthemnewacquaintances—asthoughhewerejustmakingsmalltalk.Or,ifhediddosmalltalk,theintervalbetween“HowdoyouknowWodekandEstera?”or“Iwasabeekeeperonce,soI’musedtothem”andmoreserioustopicswouldbenanoseconds.Onemighthearsuchquestionsdiscussedatpartieswhereprofessorsand

professionalsgather,butusuallytheconversationwouldremainbetweentwospecialistsinthetopic,offinacorner,orifsharedwiththewholegroupitwasoftennotwithoutsomeonepreening.ButthisPeterson,thougherudite,didn’tcomeacrossasapedant.Hehadtheenthusiasmofakidwhohadjustlearnedsomethingnewandhadtoshareit.Heseemedtobeassuming,asachildwould—beforelearninghowdulledadultscanbecome—thatifhethoughtsomethingwasinteresting,thensomightothers.Therewassomethingboyishinthecowboy,inhisbroachingofsubjectsasthoughwehadallgrownuptogetherinthesamesmalltown,orfamily,andhadallbeenthinkingabouttheverysameproblemsofhumanexistenceallalong.

Petersonwasn’treallyan“eccentric”;hehadsufficientconventionalchops,hadbeenaHarvardprofessor,wasagentleman(ascowboyscanbe)thoughhedidsaydamnandbloodyalot,inarural1950ssortofway.Buteveryonelistened,withfascinationontheirfaces,becausehewasinfactaddressingquestionsofconcerntoeveryoneatthetable.Therewassomethingfreeingaboutbeingwithapersonsolearnedyet

speakinginsuchanuneditedway.Histhinkingwasmotoric;itseemedheneededtothinkaloud,tousehismotorcortextothink,butthatmotoralsohadtorunfasttoworkproperly.Togettoliftoff.Notquitemanic,buthisidlingspeedrevvedhigh.Spiritedthoughtsweretumblingout.Butunlikemanyacademicswhotakethefloorandholdit,ifsomeonechallengedorcorrectedhimhereallyseemedtolikeit.Hedidn’trearupandneigh.He’dsay,inakindoffolksyway,“Yeah,”andbowhisheadinvoluntarily,wagitifhehadoverlookedsomething,laughingathimselfforovergeneralizing.Heappreciatedbeingshownanothersideofanissue,anditbecameclearthatthinkingthroughaproblemwas,forhim,adialogicprocess.Onecouldnotbutbestruckbyanotherunusualthingabouthim:foran

eggheadPetersonwasextremelypractical.Hisexampleswerefilledwithapplicationstoeverydaylife:businessmanagement,howtomakefurniture(hemademuchofhisown),designingasimplehouse,makingaroombeautiful(nowaninternetmeme)orinanother,specificcaserelatedtoeducation,creatinganonlinewritingprojectthatkeptminoritystudentsfromdroppingoutofschoolbygettingthemtodoakindofpsychoanalyticexerciseonthemselves,inwhichtheywouldfree-associateabouttheirpast,presentandfuture(nowknownastheSelf-AuthoringProgram).Iwasalwaysespeciallyfondofmid-Western,Prairietypeswhocomefroma

farm(wheretheylearnedallaboutnature),orfromaverysmalltown,andwhohaveworkedwiththeirhandstomakethings,spentlongperiodsoutsideintheharshelements,andareoftenself-educatedandgotouniversityagainsttheodds.Ifoundthemquiteunliketheirsophisticatedbutsomewhatdenaturedurbancounterparts,forwhomhighereducationwaspre-ordained,andforthatreasonsometimestakenforgranted,orthoughtofnotasanendinitselfbutsimplyasalifestageintheserviceofcareeradvancement.TheseWesternersweredifferent:self-made,unentitled,handson,neighbourlyandlesspreciousthanmanyoftheirbig-citypeers,whoincreasinglyspendtheirlivesindoors,manipulatingsymbolsoncomputers.Thiscowboypsychologistseemedtocareaboutathoughtonlyifitmight,insomeway,behelpfultosomeone.

Webecamefriends.Asapsychiatristandpsychoanalystwholovesliterature,Iwasdrawntohimbecauseherewasaclinicianwhoalsohadgivenhimselfagreatbookseducation,andwhonotonlylovedsoulfulRussiannovels,philosophyandancientmythology,butwhoalsoseemedtotreatthemashismosttreasuredinheritance.Buthealsodidilluminatingstatisticalresearchonpersonalityandtemperament,andhadstudiedneuroscience.Thoughtrainedasabehaviourist,hewaspowerfullydrawntopsychoanalysiswithitsfocusondreams,archetypes,thepersistenceofchildhoodconflictsintheadult,andtheroleofdefencesandrationalizationineverydaylife.Hewasalsoanoutlierinbeingtheonlymemberoftheresearch-orientedDepartmentofPsychologyattheUniversityofTorontowhoalsokeptaclinicalpractice.Onmyvisits,ourconversationsbeganwithbanterandlaughter—thatwasthe

small-townPetersonfromtheAlbertahinterland—histeenageyearsrightoutofthemovieFUBAR—welcomingyouintohishome.ThehousehadbeenguttedbyTammy,hiswife,andhimself,andturnedintoperhapsthemostfascinatingandshockingmiddle-classhomeIhadseen.Theyhadart,somecarvedmasks,andabstractportraits,buttheywereoverwhelmedbyahugecollectionoforiginalSocialistRealistpaintingsofLeninandtheearlyCommunistscommissionedbytheUSSR.NotlongaftertheSovietUnionfell,andmostoftheworldbreathedasighofrelief,Petersonbeganpurchasingthispropagandaforasongonline.PaintingslionizingtheSovietrevolutionaryspiritcompletelyfilledeverysinglewall,theceilings,eventhebathrooms.ThepaintingswerenottherebecauseJordanhadanytotalitariansympathies,butbecausehewantedtoremindhimselfofsomethingheknewheandeveryonewouldratherforget:thathundredsofmillionsweremurderedinthenameofutopia.Ittookgettingusedto,thissemi-hauntedhouse“decorated”byadelusionthat

hadpracticallydestroyedmankind.Butitwaseasedbyhiswonderfulanduniquespouse,Tammy,whowasallin,whoembracedandencouragedthisunusualneedforexpression!ThesepaintingsprovidedavisitorwiththefirstwindowontothefullextentofJordan’sconcernaboutourhumancapacityforevilinthenameofgood,andthepsychologicalmysteryofself-deception(howcanapersondeceivehimselfandgetawaywithit?)—aninterestweshare.Andthentherewerealsothehourswe’dspenddiscussingwhatImightcallalesserproblem(lesserbecauserarer),thehumancapacityforevilforthesakeofevil,thejoysomepeopletakeindestroyingothers,capturedfamouslybytheseventeenth-centuryEnglishpoetJohnMiltoninParadiseLost.Andsowe’dchatandhaveourteainhiskitchen-underworld,walledbythis

oddartcollection,avisualmarkerofhisearnestquesttomovebeyondsimplisticideology,leftorright,andnotrepeatmistakesofthepast.Afterawhile,there

wasnothingpeculiarabouttakingteainthekitchen,discussingfamilyissues,one’slatestreading,withthoseominouspictureshovering.Itwasjustlivingintheworldasitwas,orinsomeplaces,is.

InJordan’sfirstandonlybookbeforethisone,MapsofMeaning,heshareshisprofoundinsightsintouniversalthemesofworldmythology,andexplainshowallcultureshavecreatedstoriestohelpusgrapplewith,andultimatelymap,thechaosintowhichwearethrownatbirth;thischaosiseverythingthatisunknowntous,andanyunexploredterritorythatwemusttraverse,beitintheworldoutsideorthepsychewithin.Combiningevolution,theneuroscienceofemotion,someofthebestofJung,

someofFreud,muchofthegreatworksofNietzsche,Dostoevsky,Solzhenitsyn,Eliade,Neumann,Piaget,FryeandFrankl,MapsofMeaning,publishednearlytwodecadesago,showsJordan’swide-rangingapproachtounderstandinghowhumanbeingsandthehumanbraindealwiththearchetypalsituationthatariseswheneverwe,inourdailylives,mustfacesomethingwedonotunderstand.Thebrillianceofthebookisinhisdemonstrationofhowrootedthissituationisinevolution,ourDNA,ourbrainsandourmostancientstories.Andheshowsthatthesestorieshavesurvivedbecausetheystillprovideguidanceindealingwithuncertainty,andtheunavoidableunknown.Oneofthemanyvirtuesofthebookyouarereadingnowisthatitprovidesan

entrypointintoMapsofMeaning,whichisahighlycomplexworkbecauseJordanwasworkingouthisapproachtopsychologyashewroteit.Butitwasfoundational,becausenomatterhowdifferentourgenesorlifeexperiencesmaybe,orhowdifferentlyourplasticbrainsarewiredbyourexperience,weallhavetodealwiththeunknown,andweallattempttomovefromchaostoorder.Andthisiswhymanyoftherulesinthisbook,beingbasedonMapsofMeaning,haveanelementofuniversalitytothem.

MapsofMeaningwassparkedbyJordan’sagonizedawareness,asateenagergrowingupinthemidstoftheColdWar,thatmuchofmankindseemedonthevergeofblowinguptheplanettodefendtheirvariousidentities.Hefelthehadtounderstandhowitcouldbethatpeoplewouldsacrificeeverythingforan“identity,”whateverthatwas.Andhefelthehadtounderstandtheideologiesthatdrovetotalitarianregimestoavariantofthatsamebehaviour:killingtheirowncitizens.InMapsofMeaning,andagaininthisbook,oneofthemattershecautionsreaderstobemostwaryofisideology,nomatterwhoispeddlingitortowhatend.

Ideologiesaresimpleideas,disguisedasscienceorphilosophy,thatpurporttoexplainthecomplexityoftheworldandofferremediesthatwillperfectit.Ideologuesarepeoplewhopretendtheyknowhowto“maketheworldabetterplace”beforethey’vetakencareoftheirownchaoswithin.(Thewarrioridentitythattheirideologygivesthemcoversoverthatchaos.)That’shubris,ofcourse,andoneofthemostimportantthemesofthisbook,is“setyourhouseinorder”first,andJordanprovidespracticaladviceonhowtodothis.Ideologiesaresubstitutesfortrueknowledge,andideologuesarealways

dangerouswhentheycometopower,becauseasimple-mindedI-know-it-allapproachisnomatchforthecomplexityofexistence.Furthermore,whentheirsocialcontraptionsfailtofly,ideologuesblamenotthemselvesbutallwhoseethroughthesimplifications.AnothergreatUofTprofessor,LewisFeuer,inhisbookIdeologyandtheIdeologists,observedthatideologiesretooltheveryreligiousstoriestheypurporttohavesupplanted,buteliminatethenarrativeandpsychologicalrichness.CommunismborrowedfromthestoryoftheChildrenofIsraelinEgypt,withanenslavedclass,richpersecutors,aleader,likeLenin,whogoesabroad,livesamongtheenslavers,andthenleadstheenslavedtothepromisedland(theutopia;thedictatorshipoftheproletariat).Tounderstandideology,JordanreadextensivelyaboutnotonlytheSoviet

gulag,butalsotheHolocaustandtheriseofNazism.Ihadneverbeforemetaperson,bornChristianandofmygeneration,whowassoutterlytormentedbywhathappenedinEuropetotheJews,andwhohadworkedsohardtounderstandhowitcouldhaveoccurred.Itoohadstudiedthisindepth.MyownfathersurvivedAuschwitz.Mygrandmotherwasmiddle-agedwhenshestoodfacetofacewithDr.JosefMengele,theNaziphysicianwhoconductedunspeakablycruelexperimentsonhisvictims,andshesurvivedAuschwitzbydisobeyinghisordertojointhelinewiththeelderly,thegreyandtheweak,andinsteadslippingintoalinewithyoungerpeople.Sheavoidedthegaschambersasecondtimebytradingfoodforhairdyesoshewouldn’tbemurderedforlookingtooold.Mygrandfather,herhusband,survivedtheMauthausenconcentrationcamp,butchokedtodeathonthefirstpieceofsolidfoodhewasgiven,justbeforeliberationday.Irelatethis,becauseyearsafterwebecamefriends,whenJordanwouldtakeaclassicalliberalstandforfreespeech,hewouldbeaccusedbyleft-wingextremistsasbeingaright-wingbigot.Letmesay,withallthemoderationIcansummon:atbest,thoseaccusers

havesimplynotdonetheirduediligence.Ihave;withafamilyhistorysuchasmine,onedevelopsnotonlyradar,butunderwatersonarforright-wingbigotry;butevenmoreimportant,onelearnstorecognizethekindofpersonwiththe

comprehension,tools,goodwillandcouragetocombatit,andJordanPetersonisthatperson.Myowndissatisfactionwithmodernpoliticalscience’sattemptstounderstand

theriseofNazism,totalitarianismandprejudicewasamajorfactorinmydecisiontosupplementmystudiesofpoliticalsciencewiththestudyoftheunconscious,projection,psychoanalysis,theregressivepotentialofgrouppsychology,psychiatryandthebrain.Jordanswitchedoutofpoliticalscienceforsimilarreasons.Withtheseimportantparallelinterests,wedidn’talwaysagreeon“theanswers”(thankGod),butwealmostalwaysagreedonthequestions.Ourfriendshipwasn’talldoomandgloom.Ihavemadeahabitofattending

myfellowprofessors’classesatouruniversity,andsoattendedhis,whichwerealwayspacked,andIsawwhatnowmillionshaveseenonline:abrilliant,oftendazzlingpublicspeakerwhowasathisbestriffinglikeajazzartist;attimesheresembledanardentPrairiepreacher(notinevangelizing,butinhispassion,inhisabilitytotellstoriesthatconveythelife-stakesthatgowithbelievingordisbelievingvariousideas).Thenhe’djustaseasilyswitchtodoabreathtakinglysystematicsummaryofaseriesofscientificstudies.Hewasamasterathelpingstudentsbecomemorereflective,andtakethemselvesandtheirfuturesseriously.Hetaughtthemtorespectmanyofthegreatestbookseverwritten.Hegavevividexamplesfromclinicalpractice,was(appropriately)self-revealing,evenofhisownvulnerabilities,andmadefascinatinglinksbetweenevolution,thebrainandreligiousstories.Inaworldwherestudentsaretaughttoseeevolutionandreligionassimplyopposed(bythinkerslikeRichardDawkins),Jordanshowedhisstudentshowevolution,ofallthings,helpstoexplaintheprofoundpsychologicalappealandwisdomofmanyancientstories,fromGilgameshtothelifeoftheBuddha,EgyptianmythologyandtheBible.Heshowed,forinstance,howstoriesaboutjourneyingvoluntarilyintotheunknown—thehero’squest—mirroruniversaltasksforwhichthebrainevolved.Herespectedthestories,wasnotreductionist,andneverclaimedtoexhausttheirwisdom.Ifhediscussedatopicsuchasprejudice,oritsemotionalrelativesfearanddisgust,orthedifferencesbetweenthesexesonaverage,hewasabletoshowhowthesetraitsevolvedandwhytheysurvived.Aboveall,healertedhisstudentstotopicsrarelydiscussedinuniversity,such

asthesimplefactthatalltheancients,fromBuddhatothebiblicalauthors,knewwhateveryslightlyworn-outadultknows,thatlifeissuffering.Ifyouaresuffering,orsomeoneclosetoyouis,that’ssad.Butalas,it’snotparticularlyspecial.Wedon’tsufferonlybecause“politiciansaredimwitted,”or“thesystemiscorrupt,”orbecauseyouandI,likealmosteveryoneelse,canlegitimatelydescribeourselves,insomeway,asavictimofsomethingorsomeone.Itis

becausewearebornhumanthatweareguaranteedagooddoseofsuffering.Andchancesare,ifyouorsomeoneyouloveisnotsufferingnow,theywillbewithinfiveyears,unlessyouarefreakishlylucky.Rearingkidsishard,workishard,aging,sicknessanddeatharehard,andJordanemphasizedthatdoingallthattotallyonyourown,withoutthebenefitofalovingrelationship,orwisdom,orthepsychologicalinsightsofthegreatestpsychologists,onlymakesitharder.Hewasn’tscaringthestudents;infact,theyfoundthisfranktalkreassuring,becauseinthedepthsoftheirpsyches,mostofthemknewwhathesaidwastrue,eveniftherewasneveraforumtodiscussit—perhapsbecausetheadultsintheirliveshadbecomesonaivelyoverprotectivethattheydeludedthemselvesintothinkingthatnottalkingaboutsufferingwouldinsomewaymagicallyprotecttheirchildrenfromit.Herehewouldrelatethemythofthehero,across-culturalthemeexplored

psychoanalyticallybyOttoRank,whonoted,followingFreud,thatheromythsaresimilarinmanycultures,athemethatwaspickedupbyCarlJung,JosephCampbellandErichNeumann,amongothers.WhereFreudmadegreatcontributionsinexplainingneurosesby,amongotherthings,focusingonunderstandingwhatwemightcallafailed-herostory(thatofOedipus),Jordanfocusedontriumphantheroes.Inallthesetriumphstories,theherohastogointotheunknown,intoanunexploredterritory,anddealwithanewgreatchallengeandtakegreatrisks.Intheprocess,somethingofhimselfhastodie,orbegivenup,sohecanberebornandmeetthechallenge.Thisrequirescourage,somethingrarelydiscussedinapsychologyclassortextbook.DuringhisrecentpublicstandforfreespeechandagainstwhatIcall“forcedspeech”(becauseitinvolvesagovernmentforcingcitizenstovoicepoliticalviews),thestakeswereveryhigh;hehadmuchtolose,andknewit.Nonetheless,Isawhim(andTammy,forthatmatter)notonlydisplaysuchcourage,butalsocontinuetolivebymanyoftherulesinthisbook,someofwhichcanbeverydemanding.Isawhimgrow,fromtheremarkablepersonhewas,intosomeoneevenmore

ableandassured—throughlivingbytheserules.Infact,itwastheprocessofwritingthisbook,anddevelopingtheserules,thatledhimtotakethestandhedidagainstforcedorcompelledspeech.Andthatiswhy,duringthoseevents,hestartedpostingsomeofhisthoughtsaboutlifeandtheserulesontheinternet.Now,over100millionYouTubehitslater,weknowtheyhavestruckachord.

Givenourdistasteforrules,howdoweexplaintheextraordinaryresponsetohislectures,whichgiverules?InJordan’scase,itwasofcoursehischarismaandararewillingnesstostandforaprinciplethatgothimawidehearingonlineinitially;viewsofhisfirstYouTubestatementsquicklynumberedinthe

hundredsofthousands.Butpeoplehavekeptlisteningbecausewhatheissayingmeetsadeepandunarticulatedneed.Andthatisbecausealongsideourwishtobefreeofrules,weallsearchforstructure.Thehungeramongmanyyoungerpeopleforrules,oratleastguidelines,is

greatertodayforgoodreason.IntheWestatleast,millennialsarelivingthroughauniquehistoricalsituation.Theyare,Ibelieve,thefirstgenerationtohavebeensothoroughlytaughttwoseeminglycontradictoryideasaboutmorality,simultaneously—attheirschools,collegesanduniversities,bymanyinmyowngeneration.Thiscontradictionhasleftthemattimesdisorientedanduncertain,withoutguidanceand,moretragically,deprivedofrichestheydon’tevenknowexist.Thefirstideaorteachingisthatmoralityisrelative,atbestapersonal“value

judgment.”Relativemeansthatthereisnoabsoluterightorwronginanything;instead,moralityandtherulesassociatedwithitarejustamatterofpersonalopinionorhappenstance,“relativeto”or“relatedto”aparticularframework,suchasone’sethnicity,one’supbringing,orthecultureorhistoricalmomentoneisborninto.It’snothingbutanaccidentofbirth.Accordingtothisargument(nowacreed),historyteachesthatreligions,tribes,nationsandethnicgroupstendtodisagreeaboutfundamentalmatters,andalwayshave.Today,thepostmodernistleftmakestheadditionalclaimthatonegroup’smoralityisnothingbutitsattempttoexercisepoweroveranothergroup.So,thedecentthingtodo—onceitbecomesapparenthowarbitraryyour,andyoursociety’s,“moralvalues”are—istoshowtoleranceforpeoplewhothinkdifferently,andwhocomefromdifferent(diverse)backgrounds.Thatemphasisontoleranceissoparamountthatformanypeopleoneoftheworstcharacterflawsapersoncanhaveistobe“judgmental.” fn1 And,sincewedon’tknowrightfromwrong,orwhatisgood,justaboutthemostinappropriatethinganadultcandoisgiveayoungpersonadviceabouthowtolive.Andsoagenerationhasbeenraiseduntutoredinwhatwasoncecalled,aptly,

“practicalwisdom,”whichguidedpreviousgenerations.Millennials,oftentoldtheyhavereceivedthefinesteducationavailableanywhere,haveactuallysufferedaformofseriousintellectualandmoralneglect.TherelativistsofmygenerationandJordan’s,manyofwhombecametheirprofessors,chosetodevaluethousandsofyearsofhumanknowledgeabouthowtoacquirevirtue,dismissingitaspassé,“notrelevant”oreven“oppressive.”Theyweresosuccessfulatitthattheveryword“virtue”soundsoutofdate,andsomeoneusingitappearsanachronisticallymoralisticandself-righteous.Thestudyofvirtueisnotquitethesameasthestudyofmorals(rightand

wrong,goodandevil).Aristotledefinedthevirtuessimplyasthewaysof

behavingthataremostconducivetohappinessinlife.Vicewasdefinedasthewaysofbehavingleastconducivetohappiness.Heobservedthatthevirtuesalwaysaimforbalanceandavoidtheextremesofthevices.AristotlestudiedthevirtuesandthevicesinhisNicomacheanEthics.Itwasabookbasedonexperienceandobservation,notconjecture,aboutthekindofhappinessthatwaspossibleforhumanbeings.Cultivatingjudgmentaboutthedifferencebetweenvirtueandviceisthebeginningofwisdom,somethingthatcanneverbeoutofdate.Bycontrast,ourmodernrelativismbeginsbyassertingthatmakingjudgments

abouthowtoliveisimpossible,becausethereisnorealgood,andnotruevirtue(asthesetooarerelative).Thusrelativism’sclosestapproximationto“virtue”is“tolerance.”Onlytolerancewillprovidesocialcohesionbetweendifferentgroups,andsaveusfromharmingeachother.OnFacebookandotherformsofsocialmedia,therefore,yousignalyourso-calledvirtue,tellingeveryonehowtolerant,openandcompassionateyouare,andwaitforlikestoaccumulate.(Leaveasidethattellingpeopleyou’revirtuousisn’tavirtue,it’sself-promotion.Virtuesignallingisnotvirtue.Virtuesignallingis,quitepossibly,ourcommonestvice.)Intoleranceofothers’views(nomatterhowignorantorincoherenttheymay

be)isnotsimplywrong;inaworldwherethereisnorightorwrong,itisworse:itisasignyouareembarrassinglyunsophisticatedor,possibly,dangerous.Butitturnsoutthatmanypeoplecannottoleratethevacuum—thechaos—

whichisinherentinlife,butmadeworsebythismoralrelativism;theycannotlivewithoutamoralcompass,withoutanidealatwhichtoaimintheirlives.(Forrelativists,idealsarevaluestoo,andlikeallvalues,theyaremerely“relative”andhardlyworthsacrificingfor.)So,rightalongsiderelativism,wefindthespreadofnihilismanddespair,andalsotheoppositeofmoralrelativism:theblindcertaintyofferedbyideologiesthatclaimtohaveananswerforeverything.Andsowearriveatthesecondteachingthatmillennialshavebeenbombarded

with.Theysignupforahumanitiescourse,tostudygreatestbookseverwritten.Butthey’renotassignedthebooks;insteadtheyaregivenideologicalattacksonthem,basedonsomeappallingsimplification.Wheretherelativistisfilledwithuncertainty,theideologueistheveryopposite.Heorsheishyper-judgmentalandcensorious,alwaysknowswhat’swrongaboutothers,andwhattodoaboutit.Sometimesitseemstheonlypeoplewillingtogiveadviceinarelativisticsocietyarethosewiththeleasttooffer.

Modernmoralrelativismhasmanysources.AsweintheWestlearnedmorehistory,weunderstoodthatdifferentepochshaddifferentmoralcodes.Aswetravelledtheseasandexploredtheglobe,welearnedoffar-flungtribesondifferentcontinentswhosedifferentmoralcodesmadesenserelativeto,orwithintheframeworkof,theirsocieties.Scienceplayedarole,too,byattackingthereligiousviewoftheworld,andthusunderminingthereligiousgroundsforethicsandrules.Materialistsocialscienceimpliedthatwecoulddividetheworldintofacts(whichallcouldobserve,andwereobjectiveand“real”)andvalues(whichweresubjectiveandpersonal).Thenwecouldfirstagreeonthefacts,and,maybe,oneday,developascientificcodeofethics(whichhasyettoarrive).Moreover,byimplyingthatvalueshadalesserrealitythanfacts,sciencecontributedinyetanotherwaytomoralrelativism,forittreated“value”assecondary.(Buttheideathatwecaneasilyseparatefactsandvalueswasandremainsnaive;tosomeextent,one’svaluesdeterminewhatonewillpayattentionto,andwhatwillcountasafact.)Theideathatdifferentsocietieshaddifferentrulesandmoralswasknownto

theancientworldtoo,anditisinterestingtocompareitsresponsetothisrealizationwiththemodernresponse(relativism,nihilismandideology).WhentheancientGreekssailedtoIndiaandelsewhere,theytoodiscoveredthatrules,moralsandcustomsdifferedfromplacetoplace,andsawthattheexplanationforwhatwasrightandwrongwasoftenrootedinsomeancestralauthority.TheGreekresponsewasnotdespair,butanewinvention:philosophy.Socrates,reactingtotheuncertaintybredbyawarenessoftheseconflicting

moralcodes,decidedthatinsteadofbecominganihilist,arelativistoranideologue,hewoulddevotehislifetothesearchforwisdomthatcouldreasonaboutthesedifferences,i.e.,hehelpedinventphilosophy.Hespenthislifeaskingperplexing,foundationalquestions,suchas“Whatisvirtue?”and“Howcanonelivethegoodlife?”and“Whatisjustice?”andhelookedatdifferentapproaches,askingwhichseemedmostcoherentandmostinaccordwithhumannature.ThesearethekindsofquestionsthatIbelieveanimatethisbook.Fortheancients,thediscoverythatdifferentpeoplehavedifferentideasabout

how,practically,tolive,didnotparalyzethem;itdeepenedtheirunderstandingofhumanityandledtosomeofthemostsatisfyingconversationshumanbeingshaveeverhad,abouthowlifemightbelived.Likewise,Aristotle.Insteadofdespairingaboutthesedifferencesinmoral

codes,Aristotlearguedthatthoughspecificrules,lawsandcustomsdifferedfromplacetoplace,whatdoesnotdifferisthatinallplaceshumanbeings,bytheirnature,haveaproclivitytomakerules,lawsandcustoms.Toputthisinmodernterms,itseemsthatallhumanbeingsare,bysomekindofbiological

endowment,soineradicablyconcernedwithmoralitythatwecreateastructureoflawsandruleswhereverweare.Theideathathumanlifecanbefreeofmoralconcernsisafantasy.Wearerulegenerators.Andgiventhatwearemoralanimals,whatmustbe

theeffectofoursimplisticmodernrelativismuponus?Itmeanswearehobblingourselvesbypretendingtobesomethingwearenot.Itisamask,butastrangeone,foritmostlydeceivestheonewhowearsit.Scccccratccchthemostcleverpostmodern-relativistprofessor’sMercedeswithakey,andyouwillseehowfastthemaskofrelativism(withitspretensethattherecanbeneitherrightnorwrong)andthecloakofradicaltolerancecomeoff.Becausewedonotyethaveanethicsbasedonmodernscience,Jordanisnot

tryingtodevelophisrulesbywipingtheslateclean—bydismissingthousandsofyearsofwisdomasmeresuperstitionandignoringourgreatestmoralachievements.Farbettertointegratethebestofwhatwearenowlearningwiththebookshumanbeingssawfittopreserveovermillennia,andwiththestoriesthathavesurvived,againstallodds,time’stendencytoobliterate.Heisdoingwhatreasonableguideshavealwaysdone:hemakesnoclaimthat

humanwisdombeginswithhimself,but,rather,turnsfirsttohisownguides.Andalthoughthetopicsinthisbookareserious,Jordanoftenhasgreatfunaddressingthemwithalighttouch,asthechapterheadingsconvey.Hemakesnoclaimtobeexhaustive,andsometimesthechaptersconsistofwide-rangingdiscussionsofourpsychologyasheunderstandsit.Sowhynotcallthisabookof“guidelines,”afarmorerelaxed,user-friendly

andlessrigidsoundingtermthan“rules”?Becausethesereallyarerules.Andtheforemostruleisthatyoumusttake

responsibilityforyourownlife.Period.Onemightthinkthatagenerationthathasheardendlessly,fromtheirmore

ideologicalteachers,abouttherights,rights,rightsthatbelongtothem,wouldobjecttobeingtoldthattheywoulddobettertofocusinsteadontakingresponsibility.Yetthisgeneration,manyofwhomwereraisedinsmallfamiliesbyhyper-protectiveparents,onsoft-surfaceplaygrounds,andthentaughtinuniversitieswith“safespaces”wheretheydon’thavetohearthingstheydon’twantto—schooledtoberisk-averse—hasamongit,now,millionswhofeelstultifiedbythisunderestimationoftheirpotentialresilienceandwhohaveembracedJordan’smessagethateachindividualhasultimateresponsibilitytobear;thatifonewantstoliveafulllife,onefirstsetsone’sownhouseinorder;andonlythencanonesensiblyaimtotakeonbiggerresponsibilities.Theextentofthisreactionhasoftenmovedbothofustothebrinkoftears.

Sometimestheserulesaredemanding.Theyrequireyoutoundertakeanincrementalprocessthatovertimewillstretchyoutoanewlimit.Thatrequires,asI’vesaid,venturingintotheunknown.Stretchingyourselfbeyondtheboundariesofyourcurrentselfrequirescarefullychoosingandthenpursuingideals:idealsthatareupthere,aboveyou,superiortoyou—andthatyoucan’talwaysbesureyouwillreach.Butifit’suncertainthatouridealsareattainable,whydowebotherreaching

inthefirstplace?Becauseifyoudon’treachforthem,itiscertainyouwillneverfeelthatyourlifehasmeaning.Andperhapsbecause,asunfamiliarandstrangeasitsounds,inthedeepest

partofourpsyche,weallwanttobejudged.

Dr.NormanDoidge,MD,istheauthorofTheBrainThatChangesItself

Overture

Thisbookhasashorthistoryandalonghistory.We’llbeginwiththeshorthistory.In2012,IstartedcontributingtoawebsitecalledQuora.OnQuora,anyone

canaskaquestion,ofanysort—andanyonecananswer.Readersupvotethoseanswerstheylike,anddownvotethosetheydon’t.Inthismanner,themostusefulanswersrisetothetop,whiletheotherssinkintooblivion.Iwascuriousaboutthesite.Ilikeditsfree-for-allnature.Thediscussionwasoftencompelling,anditwasinterestingtoseethediverserangeofopinionsgeneratedbythesamequestion.WhenIwastakingabreak(oravoidingwork),IoftenturnedtoQuora,

lookingforquestionstoengagewith.Iconsidered,andeventuallyanswered,suchquestionsas“What’sthedifferencebetweenbeinghappyandbeingcontent?”,“Whatthingsgetbetterasyouage?”and“Whatmakeslifemoremeaningful?”Quoratellsyouhowmanypeoplehaveviewedyouranswerandhowmany

upvotesyoureceived.Thus,youcandetermineyourreach,andseewhatpeoplethinkofyourideas.Onlyasmallminorityofthosewhoviewananswerupvoteit.AsofJuly2017,asIwritethis—andfiveyearsafterIaddressed“Whatmakeslifemoremeaningful?”—myanswertothatquestionhasreceivedarelativelysmallaudience(14,000views,and133upvotes),whilemyresponsetothequestionaboutaginghasbeenviewedby7,200peopleandreceived36upvotes.Notexactlyhomeruns.However,it’stobeexpected.Onsuchsites,mostanswersreceiveverylittleattention,whileatinyminoritybecomedisproportionatelypopular.Soonafter,Iansweredanotherquestion:“Whatarethemostvaluablethings

everyoneshouldknow?”Iwrotealistofrules,ormaxims;somedeadserious,sometongue-in-cheek—“Begratefulinspiteofyoursuffering,”“Donotdothingsthatyouhate,”“Donothidethingsinthefog,”andsoon.TheQuorareadersappearedpleasedwiththislist.Theycommentedonandsharedit.Theysaidsuchthingsas“I’mdefinitelyprintingthislistoutandkeepingitasareference.Simplyphenomenal,”and“YouwinQuora.Wecanjustclosethesite

now.”StudentsattheUniversityofToronto,whereIteach,cameuptomeandtoldmehowmuchtheylikedit.Todate,myanswerto“Whatarethemostvaluablethings…”hasbeenviewedbyahundredandtwentythousandpeopleandbeenupvotedtwenty-threehundredtimes.OnlyafewhundredoftheroughlysixhundredthousandquestionsonQuorahavecrackedthetwo-thousand-upvotebarrier.Myprocrastination-inducedmusingshitanerve.Ihadwrittena99.9percentileanswer.ItwasnotobvioustomewhenIwrotethelistofrulesforlivingthatitwas

goingtoperformsowell.IhadputafairbitofcareintoallthesixtyorsoanswersIsubmittedinthefewmonthssurroundingthatpost.Nonetheless,Quoraprovidesmarketresearchatitsfinest.Therespondentsareanonymous.They’redisinterested,inthebestsense.Theiropinionsarespontaneousandunbiased.So,Ipaidattentiontotheresults,andthoughtaboutthereasonsforthatanswer’sdisproportionatesuccess.PerhapsIstrucktherightbalancebetweenthefamiliarandtheunfamiliarwhileformulatingtherules.Perhapspeopleweredrawntothestructurethatsuchrulesimply.Perhapspeoplejustlikelists.Afewmonthsearlier,inMarchof2012,Ihadreceivedanemailfroma

literaryagent.ShehadheardmespeakonCBCradioduringashowentitledJustSayNotoHappiness,whereIhadcriticizedtheideathathappinesswasthepropergoalforlife.OverthepreviousdecadesIhadreadmorethanmyshareofdarkbooksaboutthetwentiethcentury,focusingparticularlyonNaziGermanyandtheSovietUnion.AleksandrSolzhenitsyn,thegreatdocumenteroftheslave-labour-camphorrorsofthelatter,oncewrotethatthe“pitifulideology”holdingthat“humanbeingsarecreatedforhappiness”wasanideology“doneinbythefirstblowoftheworkassigner’scudgel.”1Inacrisis,theinevitablesufferingthatlifeentailscanrapidlymakeamockeryoftheideathathappinessistheproperpursuitoftheindividual.Ontheradioshow,Isuggested,instead,thatadeepermeaningwasrequired.Inotedthatthenatureofsuchmeaningwasconstantlyre-presentedinthegreatstoriesofthepast,andthatithadmoretodowithdevelopingcharacterinthefaceofsufferingthanwithhappiness.Thisispartofthelonghistoryofthepresentwork.From1985until1999Iworkedforaboutthreehoursadayontheonlyother

bookIhaveeverpublished:MapsofMeaning:TheArchitectureofBelief.Duringthattime,andintheyearssince,Ialsotaughtacourseonthematerialinthatbook,firstatHarvard,andnowattheUniversityofToronto.In2013,observingtheriseofYouTube,andbecauseofthepopularityofsomeworkIhaddonewithTVO,aCanadianpublicTVstation,Idecidedtofilmmyuniversityandpubliclecturesandplacethemonline.Theyattractedanincreasinglylarge

audience—morethanamillionviewsbyApril2016.Thenumberofviewshasrisenverydramaticallysincethen(uptoeighteenmillionasIwritethis),butthatisinpartbecauseIbecameembroiledinapoliticalcontroversythatdrewaninordinateamountofattention.That’sanotherstory.Maybeevenanotherbook.IproposedinMapsofMeaningthatthegreatmythsandreligiousstoriesof

thepast,particularlythosederivedfromanearlier,oraltradition,weremoralintheirintent,ratherthandescriptive.Thus,theydidnotconcernthemselveswithwhattheworldwas,asascientistmighthaveit,butwithhowahumanbeingshouldact.Isuggestedthatourancestorsportrayedtheworldasastage—adrama—insteadofaplaceofobjects.IdescribedhowIhadcometobelievethattheconstituentelementsoftheworldasdramawereorderandchaos,andnotmaterialthings.Orderiswherethepeoplearoundyouactaccordingtowell-understoodsocial

norms,andremainpredictableandcooperative.It’stheworldofsocialstructure,exploredterritory,andfamiliarity.ThestateofOrderistypicallyportrayed,symbolically—imaginatively—asmasculine.It’stheWiseKingandtheTyrant,foreverboundtogether,associetyissimultaneouslystructureandoppression.Chaos,bycontrast,iswhere—orwhen—somethingunexpectedhappens.

Chaosemerges,intrivialform,whenyoutellajokeatapartywithpeopleyouthinkyouknowandasilentandembarrassingchillfallsoverthegathering.Chaosiswhatemergesmorecatastrophicallywhenyousuddenlyfindyourselfwithoutemployment,orarebetrayedbyalover.Astheantithesisofsymbolicallymasculineorder,it’spresentedimaginativelyasfeminine.It’sthenewandunpredictablesuddenlyemerginginthemidstofthecommonplacefamiliar.It’sCreationandDestruction,thesourceofnewthingsandthedestinationofthedead(asnature,asopposedtoculture,issimultaneouslybirthanddemise).OrderandchaosaretheyangandyinofthefamousTaoistsymbol:two

serpents,headtotail. fn1 Orderisthewhite,masculineserpent;Chaos,itsblack,femininecounterpart.Theblackdotinthewhite—andthewhiteintheblack—indicatethepossibilityoftransformation:justwhenthingsseemsecure,theunknowncanloom,unexpectedlyandlarge.Conversely,justwheneverythingseemslost,newordercanemergefromcatastropheandchaos.FortheTaoists,meaningistobefoundontheborderbetweentheever-

entwinedpair.Towalkthatborderistostayonthepathoflife,thedivineWay.Andthat’smuchbetterthanhappiness.TheliteraryagentIreferredtolistenedtotheCBCradiobroadcastwhereI

discussedsuchissues.Itleftheraskingherselfdeeperquestions.Sheemailed

me,askingifIhadconsideredwritingabookforageneralaudience.IhadpreviouslyattemptedtoproduceamoreaccessibleversionofMapsofMeaning,whichisaverydensebook.ButIfoundthatthespiritwasneitherinmeduringthatattemptnorintheresultantmanuscript.IthinkthiswasbecauseIwasimitatingmyformerself,andmypreviousbook,insteadofoccupyingtheplacebetweenorderandchaosandproducingsomethingnew.IsuggestedthatshewatchfourofthelecturesIhaddoneforaTVOprogramcalledBigIdeasonmyYouTubechannel.IthoughtifshedidthatwecouldhaveamoreinformedandthoroughdiscussionaboutwhatkindoftopicsImightaddressinamorepubliclyaccessiblebook.Shecontactedmeafewweekslater,afterwatchingallfourlecturesand

discussingthemwithacolleague.Herinteresthadbeenfurtherheightened,ashadhercommitmenttotheproject.Thatwaspromising—andunexpected.I’malwayssurprisedwhenpeoplerespondpositivelytowhatIamsaying,givenitsseriousnessandstrangenature.I’mamazedIhavebeenallowed(evenencouraged)toteachwhatItaughtfirstinBostonandnowinToronto.I’vealwaysthoughtthatifpeoplereallynoticedwhatIwasteachingtherewouldbeHelltopay.Youcandecideforyourselfwhattruththeremightbeinthatconcernafterreadingthisbook.:)ShesuggestedthatIwriteaguideofsortstowhatapersonneeds“tolive

well”—whateverthatmightmean.IthoughtimmediatelyaboutmyQuoralist.IhadinthemeantimewrittensomefurtherthoughtsaboutoftherulesIhadposted.Peoplehadrespondedpositivelytowardthosenewideas,aswell.Itseemedtome,therefore,thattheremightbeanicefitbetweentheQuoralistandmynewagent’sideas.So,Isentherthelist.Shelikedit.Ataboutthesametime,afriendandformerstudentofmine—thenovelistand

screenwriterGreggHurwitz—wasconsideringanewbook,whichwouldbecomethebestsellingthrillerOrphanX.Helikedtherules,too.HehadMia,thebook’sfemalelead,postaselectionofthem,onebyone,onherfridge,atpointsinthestorywheretheyseemedapropos.Thatwasanotherpieceofevidencesupportingmysuppositionoftheirattractiveness.IsuggestedtomyagentthatIwriteabriefchapteroneachoftherules.Sheagreed,soIwroteabookproposalsuggestingasmuch.WhenIstartedwritingtheactualchapters,however,theyweren’tatallbrief.IhadmuchmoretosayabouteachrulethanIoriginallyenvisioned.ThiswaspartlybecauseIhadspentaverylongtimeresearchingmyfirst

book:studyinghistory,mythology,neuroscience,psychoanalysis,childpsychology,poetry,andlargesectionsoftheBible.IreadandperhapsevenunderstoodmuchofMilton’sParadiseLost,Goethe’sFaustandDante’sInferno.

Iintegratedallofthat,forbetterorworse,tryingtoaddressaperplexingproblem:thereasonorreasonsforthenuclearstandoffoftheColdWar.Icouldn’tunderstandhowbeliefsystemscouldbesoimportanttopeoplethattheywerewillingtoriskthedestructionoftheworldtoprotectthem.Icametorealizethatsharedbeliefsystemsmadepeopleintelligibletooneanother—andthatthesystemsweren’tjustaboutbelief.Peoplewholivebythesamecodearerenderedmutuallypredictabletoone

another.Theyactinkeepingwitheachother’sexpectationsanddesires.Theycancooperate.Theycanevencompetepeacefully,becauseeveryoneknowswhattoexpectfromeveryoneelse.Asharedbeliefsystem,partlypsychological,partlyactedout,simplifieseveryone—intheirowneyes,andintheeyesofothers.Sharedbeliefssimplifytheworld,aswell,becausepeoplewhoknowwhattoexpectfromoneanothercanacttogethertotametheworld.Thereisperhapsnothingmoreimportantthanthemaintenanceofthisorganization—thissimplification.Ifit’sthreatened,thegreatshipofstaterocks.Itisn’tpreciselythatpeoplewillfightforwhattheybelieve.Theywillfight,

instead,tomaintainthematchbetweenwhattheybelieve,whattheyexpect,andwhattheydesire.Theywillfighttomaintainthematchbetweenwhattheyexpectandhoweveryoneisacting.Itispreciselythemaintenanceofthatmatchthatenableseveryonetolivetogetherpeacefully,predictablyandproductively.Itreducesuncertaintyandthechaoticmixofintolerableemotionsthatuncertaintyinevitablyproduces.Imaginesomeonebetrayedbyatrustedlover.Thesacredsocialcontract

obtainingbetweenthetwohasbeenviolated.Actionsspeaklouderthanwords,andanactofbetrayaldisruptsthefragileandcarefullynegotiatedpeaceofanintimaterelationship.Intheaftermathofdisloyalty,peopleareseizedbyterribleemotions:disgust,contempt(forselfandtraitor),guilt,anxiety,rageanddread.Conflictisinevitable,sometimeswithdeadlyresults.Sharedbeliefsystems—sharedsystemsofagreed-uponconductandexpectation—regulateandcontrolallthosepowerfulforces.It’snowonderthatpeoplewillfighttoprotectsomethingthatsavesthemfrombeingpossessedbyemotionsofchaosandterror(andafterthatfromdegenerationintostrifeandcombat).There’smoretoit,too.Asharedculturalsystemstabilizeshumaninteraction,

butisalsoasystemofvalue—ahierarchyofvalue,wheresomethingsaregivenpriorityandimportanceandothersarenot.Intheabsenceofsuchasystemofvalue,peoplesimplycannotact.Infact,theycan’tevenperceive,becausebothactionandperceptionrequireagoal,andavalidgoalis,bynecessity,somethingvalued.Weexperiencemuchofourpositiveemotioninrelationtogoals.Wearenothappy,technicallyspeaking,unlessweseeourselvesprogressing—andthe

veryideaofprogressionimpliesvalue.Worseyetisthefactthatthemeaningoflifewithoutpositivevalueisnotsimplyneutral.Becausewearevulnerableandmortal,painandanxietyareanintegralpartofhumanexistence.WemusthavesomethingtosetagainstthesufferingthatisintrinsictoBeing. fn2 Wemusthavethemeaninginherentinaprofoundsystemofvalueorthehorrorofexistencerapidlybecomesparamount.Then,nihilismbeckons,withitshopelessnessanddespair.So:novalue,nomeaning.Betweenvaluesystems,however,thereisthe

possibilityofconflict.Wearethuseternallycaughtbetweenthemostdiamantinerockandthehardestofplaces:lossofgroup-centredbeliefrenderslifechaotic,miserable,intolerable;presenceofgroup-centredbeliefmakesconflictwithothergroupsinevitable.IntheWest,wehavebeenwithdrawingfromourtradition-,religion-andevennation-centredcultures,partlytodecreasethedangerofgroupconflict.Butweareincreasinglyfallingpreytothedesperationofmeaninglessness,andthatisnoimprovementatall.WhilewritingMapsofMeaning,Iwas(also)drivenbytherealizationthatwe

cannolongeraffordconflict—certainlynotonthescaleoftheworldconflagrationsofthetwentiethcentury.Ourtechnologiesofdestructionhavebecometoopowerful.Thepotentialconsequencesofwarareliterallyapocalyptic.Butwecannotsimplyabandonoursystemsofvalue,ourbeliefs,ourcultures,either.Iagonizedoverthisapparentlyintractableproblemformonths.Wasthereathirdway,invisibletome?IdreamtonenightduringthisperiodthatIwassuspendedinmid-air,clingingtoachandelier,manystoriesabovetheground,directlyunderthedomeofamassivecathedral.Thepeopleonthefloorbelowweredistantandtiny.Therewasagreatexpansebetweenmeandanywall—andeventhepeakofthedomeitself.Ihavelearnedtopayattentiontodreams,notleastbecauseofmytrainingasa

clinicalpsychologist.Dreamsshedlightonthedimplaceswherereasonitselfhasyettovoyage.IhavestudiedChristianityafairbit,too(morethanotherreligioustraditions,althoughIamalwaystryingtoredressthislack).Likeothers,therefore,ImustanddodrawmorefromwhatIdoknowthanfromwhatIdonot.Iknewthatcathedralswereconstructedintheshapeofacross,andthatthepointunderthedomewasthecentreofthecross.Iknewthatthecrosswassimultaneously,thepointofgreatestsuffering,thepointofdeathandtransformation,andthesymboliccentreoftheworld.ThatwasnotsomewhereIwantedtobe.Imanagedtogetdown,outoftheheights—outofthesymbolicsky—backtosafe,familiar,anonymousground.Idon’tknowhow.Then,stillinmydream,Ireturnedtomybedroomandmybedandtriedtoreturntosleepandthepeaceofunconsciousness.AsIrelaxed,however,Icouldfeelmybody

transported.Agreatwindwasdissolvingme,preparingtopropelmebacktothecathedral,toplacemeonceagainatthatcentralpoint.Therewasnoescape.Itwasatruenightmare.Iforcedmyselfawake.Thecurtainsbehindmewereblowinginovermypillows.Halfasleep,Ilookedatthefootofthebed.Isawthegreatcathedraldoors.Ishookmyselfcompletelyawakeandtheydisappeared.MydreamplacedmeatthecentreofBeingitself,andtherewasnoescape.It

tookmemonthstounderstandwhatthismeant.Duringthistime,Icametoamorecomplete,personalrealizationofwhatthegreatstoriesofthepastcontinuallyinsistupon:thecentreisoccupiedbytheindividual.Thecentreismarkedbythecross,asXmarksthespot.Existenceatthatcrossissufferingandtransformation—andthatfact,aboveall,needstobevoluntarilyaccepted.Itispossibletotranscendslavishadherencetothegroupanditsdoctrinesand,simultaneously,toavoidthepitfallsofitsoppositeextreme,nihilism.Itispossible,instead,tofindsufficientmeaninginindividualconsciousnessandexperience.Howcouldtheworldbefreedfromtheterribledilemmaofconflict,onthe

onehand,andpsychologicalandsocialdissolution,ontheother?Theanswerwasthis:throughtheelevationanddevelopmentoftheindividual,andthroughthewillingnessofeveryonetoshouldertheburdenofBeingandtotaketheheroicpath.Wemusteachadoptasmuchresponsibilityaspossibleforindividuallife,societyandtheworld.Wemusteachtellthetruthandrepairwhatisindisrepairandbreakdownandrecreatewhatisoldandoutdated.Itisinthismannerthatwecanandmustreducethesufferingthatpoisonstheworld.It’saskingalot.It’saskingforeverything.Butthealternative—thehorrorofauthoritarianbelief,thechaosofthecollapsedstate,thetragiccatastropheoftheunbridlednaturalworld,theexistentialangstandweaknessofthepurposelessindividual—isclearlyworse.Ihavebeenthinkingandlecturingaboutsuchideasfordecades.Ihavebuilt

upalargecorpusofstoriesandconceptspertainingtothem.Iamnotforamomentclaiming,however,thatIamentirelycorrectorcompleteinmythinking.Beingisfarmorecomplicatedthanonepersoncanknow,andIdon’thavethewholestory.I’msimplyofferingthebestIcanmanage.Inanycase,theconsequenceofallthatpreviousresearchandthinkingwasthe

newessayswhicheventuallybecamethisbook.MyinitialideawastowriteashortessayonallfortyoftheanswersIhadprovidedtoQuora.ThatproposalwasacceptedbyPenguinRandomHouseCanada.Whilewriting,however,Icuttheessaynumbertotwenty-fiveandthentosixteenandthenfinally,tothecurrenttwelve.I’vebeeneditingthatremainder,withthehelpandcareofmy

officialeditor(andwiththeviciousandhorriblyaccuratecriticismofHurwitz,mentionedpreviously)forthepastthreeyears.Ittookalongtimetosettleonatitle:12RulesforLife:AnAntidotetoChaos.

Whydidthatoneriseupaboveallothers?Firstandforemost,becauseofitssimplicity.Itindicatesclearlythatpeopleneedorderingprinciples,andthatchaosotherwisebeckons.Werequirerules,standards,values—aloneandtogether.We’repackanimals,beastsofburden.Wemustbearaload,tojustifyourmiserableexistence.Werequireroutineandtradition.That’sorder.Ordercanbecomeexcessive,andthat’snotgood,butchaoscanswampus,sowedrown—andthatisalsonotgood.Weneedtostayonthestraightandnarrowpath.Eachofthetwelverulesofthisbook—andtheiraccompanyingessays—thereforeprovideaguidetobeingthere.“There”isthedividinglinebetweenorderandchaos.That’swherewearesimultaneouslystableenough,exploringenough,transformingenough,repairingenough,andcooperatingenough.It’stherewefindthemeaningthatjustifieslifeanditsinevitablesuffering.Perhaps,ifwelivedproperly,wewouldbeabletotoleratetheweightofourownself-consciousness.Perhaps,ifwelivedproperly,wecouldwithstandtheknowledgeofourownfragilityandmortality,withoutthesenseofaggrievedvictimhoodthatproduces,first,resentment,thenenvy,andthenthedesireforvengeanceanddestruction.Perhaps,ifwelivedproperly,wewouldn’thavetoturntototalitariancertaintytoshieldourselvesfromtheknowledgeofourowninsufficiencyandignorance.PerhapswecouldcometoavoidthosepathwaystoHell—andwehaveseenintheterribletwentiethcenturyjusthowrealHellcanbe.Ihopethattheserulesandtheiraccompanyingessayswillhelppeople

understandwhattheyalreadyknow:thatthesouloftheindividualeternallyhungersfortheheroismofgenuineBeing,andthatthewillingnesstotakeonthatresponsibilityisidenticaltothedecisiontoliveameaningfullife.Ifweeachliveproperly,wewillcollectivelyflourish.Bestwishestoyouall,asyouproceedthroughthesepages.

Dr.JordanB.PetersonClinicalPsychologistandProfessorofPsychology

RULE1

STANDUPSTRAIGHTWITHYOURSHOULDERSBACK

LOBSTERS—ANDTERRITORY

Ifyouarelikemostpeople,youdon’toftenthinkaboutlobsters2—unlessyou’reeatingone.However,theseinterestinganddeliciouscrustaceansareverymuchworthconsidering.Theirnervoussystemsarecomparativelysimple,withlarge,easilyobservableneurons,themagiccellsofthebrain.Becauseofthis,scientistshavebeenabletomaptheneuralcircuitryoflobstersveryaccurately.Thishashelpedusunderstandthestructureandfunctionofthebrainandbehaviourofmorecomplexanimals,includinghumanbeings.Lobstershavemoreincommonwithyouthanyoumightthink(particularlywhenyouarefeelingcrabby—haha).Lobstersliveontheoceanfloor.Theyneedahomebasedownthere,arange

withinwhichtheyhuntforpreyandscavengearoundforstrayediblebitsandpiecesofwhateverrainsdownfromthecontinualchaosofcarnageanddeathfarabove.Theywantsomewheresecure,wherethehuntingandthegatheringisgood.Theywantahome.Thiscanpresentaproblem,sincetherearemanylobsters.Whatiftwoof

themoccupythesameterritory,atthebottomoftheocean,atthesametime,andbothwanttolivethere?Whatiftherearehundredsoflobsters,alltryingtomakealivingandraiseafamily,inthesamecrowdedpatchofsandandrefuse?

Othercreatureshavethisproblem,too.Whensongbirdscomenorthinthespring,forexample,theyengageinferociousterritorialdisputes.Thesongstheysing,sopeacefulandbeautifultohumanears,aresirencallsandcriesofdomination.Abrilliantlymusicalbirdisasmallwarriorproclaiminghissovereignty.Takethewren,forexample,asmall,feisty,insect-eatingsongbirdcommoninNorthAmerica.Anewlyarrivedwrenwantsashelteredplacetobuildanest,awayfromthewindandrain.Hewantsitclosetofood,andattractivetopotentialmates.Healsowantstoconvincecompetitorsforthatspacetokeeptheirdistance.

Birds—andTerritory

MydadandIdesignedahouseforawrenfamilywhenIwastenyearsold.ItlookedlikeaConestogawagon,andhadafrontentranceaboutthesizeofaquarter.Thismadeitagoodhouseforwrens,whoaretiny,andnotsogoodforother,largerbirds,whocouldn’tgetin.Myelderlyneighbourhadabirdhouse,too,whichwebuiltforheratthesametime,fromanoldrubberboot.Ithadanopeninglargeenoughforabirdthesizeofarobin.Shewaslookingforwardtothedayitwasoccupied.Awrensoondiscoveredourbirdhouse,andmadehimselfathomethere.We

couldhearhislengthy,trillingsong,repeatedoverandover,duringtheearlyspring.Oncehe’dbuilthisnestinthecoveredwagon,however,ournewaviantenantstartedcarryingsmallstickstoourneighbour’snearbyboot.Hepackeditsofullthatnootherbird,largeorsmall,couldpossiblygetin.Ourneighbourwasnotpleasedbythispre-emptivestrike,buttherewasnothingtobedoneaboutit.“Ifwetakeitdown,”saidmydad,“cleanitup,andputitbackinthetree,thewrenwilljustpackitfullofsticksagain.”Wrensaresmall,andthey’recute,butthey’remerciless.Ihadbrokenmylegskiingthepreviouswinter—firsttimedownthehill—and

hadreceivedsomemoneyfromaschoolinsurancepolicydesignedtorewardunfortunate,clumsychildren.Ipurchasedacassetterecorder(ahigh-technoveltyatthetime)withtheproceeds.MydadsuggestedthatIsitonthebacklawn,recordthewren’ssong,playitback,andwatchwhathappened.So,Iwentoutintothebrightspringsunlightandtapedafewminutesofthewrenlayingfuriousclaimtohisterritorywithsong.ThenIlethimhearhisownvoice.Thatlittlebird,one-thirdthesizeofasparrow,begantodive-bombmeandmycassetterecorder,swoopingbackandforth,inchesfromthespeaker.Wesawalotofthatsortofbehaviour,evenintheabsenceofthetaperecorder.Ifalarger

birdeverdaredtositandrestinanyofthetreesnearourbirdhousetherewasagoodchancehewouldgetknockedoffhisperchbyakamikazewren.Now,wrensandlobstersareverydifferent.Lobstersdonotfly,singorperch

intrees.Wrenshavefeathers,nothardshells.Wrenscan’tbreatheunderwater,andareseldomservedwithbutter.However,theyarealsosimilarinimportantways.Bothareobsessedwithstatusandposition,forexample,likeagreatmanycreatures.TheNorwegianzoologistandcomparativepsychologistThorliefSchjelderup-Ebbeobserved(backin1921)thatevencommonbarnyardchickensestablisha“peckingorder.”3ThedeterminationofWho’sWhointhechickenworldhasimportant

implicationsforeachindividualbird’ssurvival,particularlyintimesofscarcity.Thebirdsthatalwayshavepriorityaccesstowhateverfoodissprinkledoutintheyardinthemorningarethecelebritychickens.Afterthemcomethesecond-stringers,thehangers-onandwannabes.Thenthethird-ratechickenshavetheirturn,andsoon,downtothebedraggled,partially-featheredandbadly-peckedwretcheswhooccupythelowest,untouchablestratumofthechickenhierarchy.Chickens,likesuburbanites,livecommunally.Songbirds,suchaswrens,do

not,buttheystillinhabitadominancehierarchy.It’sjustspreadoutovermoreterritory.Thewiliest,strongest,healthiestandmostfortunatebirdsoccupyprimeterritory,anddefendit.Becauseofthis,theyaremorelikelytoattracthigh-qualitymates,andtohatchchickswhosurviveandthrive.Protectionfromwind,rainandpredators,aswellaseasyaccesstosuperiorfood,makesforamuchlessstressedexistence.Territorymatters,andthereislittledifferencebetweenterritorialrightsandsocialstatus.Itisoftenamatteroflifeanddeath.Ifacontagiousaviandiseasesweepsthroughaneighbourhoodofwell-

stratifiedsongbirds,itistheleastdominantandmoststressedbirds,occupyingthelowestrungsofthebirdworld,whoaremostlikelytosickenanddie.4Thisisequallytrueofhumanneighbourhoods,whenbirdfluvirusesandotherillnessessweepacrosstheplanet.Thepoorandstressedalwaysdiefirst,andingreaternumbers.Theyarealsomuchmoresusceptibletonon-infectiousdiseases,suchascancer,diabetesandheartdisease.Whenthearistocracycatchesacold,asitissaid,theworkingclassdiesofpneumonia.Becauseterritorymatters,andbecausethebestlocalesarealwaysinshort

supply,territory-seekingamonganimalsproducesconflict.Conflict,inturn,producesanotherproblem:howtowinorlosewithoutthedisagreeingpartiesincurringtoogreatacost.Thislatterpointisparticularlyimportant.Imaginethattwobirdsengageinasquabbleaboutadesirablenestingarea.Theinteractioncaneasilydegenerateintooutrightphysicalcombat.Undersuchcircumstances,

onebird,usuallythelargest,willeventuallywin—buteventhevictormaybehurtbythefight.Thatmeansathirdbird,anundamaged,cannybystander,canmovein,opportunistically,anddefeatthenow-crippledvictor.Thatisnotatallagooddealforthefirsttwobirds.

Conflict—andTerritory

Overthemillennia,animalswhomustco-habitwithothersinthesameterritorieshaveinconsequencelearnedmanytrickstoestablishdominance,whileriskingtheleastamountofpossibledamage.Adefeatedwolf,forexample,willrolloveronitsback,exposingitsthroattothevictor,whowillnotthendeigntotearitout.Thenow-dominantwolfmaystillrequireafuturehuntingpartner,afterall,evenoneaspatheticashisnow-defeatedfoe.Beardeddragons,remarkablesociallizards,wavetheirfrontlegspeaceablyatoneanothertoindicatetheirwishforcontinuedsocialharmony.Dolphinsproducespecializedsoundpulseswhilehuntingandduringothertimesofhighexcitementtoreducepotentialconflictamongdominantandsubordinategroupmembers.Suchbehaviorisendemicinthecommunityoflivingthings.Lobsters,scuttlingaroundontheoceanfloor,arenoexception.5Ifyoucatcha

fewdozen,andtransportthemtoanewlocation,youcanobservetheirstatus-formingritualsandtechniques.Eachlobsterwillfirstbegintoexplorethenewterritory,partlytomapitsdetails,andpartlytofindagoodplaceforshelter.Lobsterslearnalotaboutwheretheylive,andtheyrememberwhattheylearn.Ifyoustartleonenearitsnest,itwillquicklyzipbackandhidethere.Ifyoustartleitsomedistanceaway,however,itwillimmediatelydarttowardsthenearestsuitableshelter,previouslyidentifiedandnowremembered.Alobsterneedsasafehidingplacetorest,freefrompredatorsandtheforces

ofnature.Furthermore,aslobstersgrow,theymoult,orshedtheirshells,whichleavesthemsoftandvulnerableforextendedperiodsoftime.Aburrowunderarockmakesagoodlobsterhome,particularlyifitislocatedwhereshellsandotherdetrituscanbedraggedintoplacetocovertheentrance,oncethelobsterissnuglyensconcedinside.However,theremaybeonlyasmallnumberofhigh-qualitysheltersorhidingplacesineachnewterritory.Theyarescarceandvaluable.Otherlobsterscontinuallyseekthemout.Thismeansthatlobstersoftenencounteroneanotherwhenoutexploring.

Researchershavedemonstratedthatevenalobsterraisedinisolationknowswhattodowhensuchathinghappens.6Ithascomplexdefensiveandaggressivebehavioursbuiltrightintoitsnervoussystem.Itbeginstodancearound,likeaboxer,openingandraisingitsclaws,movingbackward,forward,andsideto

side,mirroringitsopponent,wavingitsopenedclawsbackandforth.Atthesametime,itemploysspecialjetsunderitseyestodirectstreamsofliquidatitsopponent.Theliquidspraycontainsamixofchemicalsthattelltheotherlobsteraboutitssize,sex,health,andmood.Sometimesonelobstercantellimmediatelyfromthedisplayofclawsizethat

itismuchsmallerthanitsopponent,andwillbackdownwithoutafight.Thechemicalinformationexchangedinthespraycanhavethesameeffect,convincingalesshealthyorlessaggressivelobstertoretreat.That’sdisputeresolutionLevel1.7Ifthetwolobstersareverycloseinsizeandapparentability,however,oriftheexchangeofliquidhasbeeninsufficientlyinformative,theywillproceedtodisputeresolutionLevel2.Withantennaewhippingmadlyandclawsfoldeddownward,onewilladvance,andtheotherretreat.Thenthedefenderwilladvance,andtheaggressorretreat.Afteracoupleofroundsofthisbehaviour,themorenervousofthelobstersmayfeelthatcontinuingisnotinhisbestinterest.Hewillflickhistailreflexively,dartbackwards,andvanish,totryhisluckelsewhere.Ifneitherblinks,however,thelobstersmovetoLevel3,whichinvolvesgenuinecombat.Thistime,thenowenragedlobsterscomeateachotherviciously,withtheir

clawsextended,tograpple.Eachtriestofliptheotheronitsback.Asuccessfullyflippedlobsterwillconcludethatitsopponentiscapableofinflictingseriousdamage.Itgenerallygivesupandleaves(althoughitharboursintenseresentmentandgossipsendlesslyaboutthevictorbehinditsback).Ifneithercanoverturntheother—orifonewillnotquitdespitebeingflipped—thelobstersmovetoLevel4.Doingsoinvolvesextremerisk,andisnotsomethingtobeengagedinwithoutforethought:oneorbothlobsterswillemergedamagedfromtheensuingfray,perhapsfatally.Theanimalsadvanceoneachother,withincreasingspeed.Theirclawsare

open,sotheycangrabaleg,orantenna,oraneye-stalk,oranythingelseexposedandvulnerable.Onceabodyparthasbeensuccessfullygrabbed,thegrabberwilltail-flickbackwards,sharply,withclawclampedfirmlyshut,andtrytotearitoff.Disputesthathaveescalatedtothispointtypicallycreateaclearwinnerandloser.Theloserisunlikelytosurvive,particularlyifheorsheremainsintheterritoryoccupiedbythewinner,nowamortalenemy.Intheaftermathofalosingbattle,regardlessofhowaggressivelyalobsterhas

behaved,itbecomesunwillingtofightfurther,evenagainstanother,previouslydefeatedopponent.Avanquishedcompetitorlosesconfidence,sometimesfordays.Sometimesthedefeatcanhaveevenmoresevereconsequences.Ifadominantlobsterisbadlydefeated,itsbrainbasicallydissolves.Thenitgrowsa

new,subordinate’sbrain—onemoreappropriatetoitsnew,lowlyposition.8Itsoriginalbrainjustisn’tsophisticatedtomanagethetransformationfromkingtobottomdogwithoutvirtuallycompletedissolutionandregrowth.Anyonewhohasexperiencedapainfultransformationafteraseriousdefeatinromanceorcareermayfeelsomesenseofkinshipwiththeoncesuccessfulcrustacean.

TheNeurochemistryofDefeatandVictory

Alobsterloser’sbrainchemistrydiffersimportantlyfromthatofalobsterwinner.Thisisreflectedintheirrelativepostures.Whetheralobsterisconfidentorcringingdependsontheratiooftwochemicalsthatmodulatecommunicationbetweenlobsterneurons:serotoninandoctopamine.Winningincreasestheratiooftheformertothelatter.Alobsterwithhighlevelsofserotoninandlowlevelsofoctopamineisa

cocky,struttingsortofshellfish,muchlesslikelytobackdownwhenchallenged.Thisisbecauseserotoninhelpsregulateposturalflexion.Aflexedlobsterextendsitsappendagessothatitcanlooktallanddangerous,likeClintEastwoodinaspaghettiWestern.Whenalobsterthathasjustlostabattleisexposedtoserotonin,itwillstretchitselfout,advanceevenonformervictors,andfightlongerandharder.9Thedrugsprescribedtodepressedhumanbeings,whichareselectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitors,havemuchthesamechemicalandbehaviouraleffect.InoneofthemorestaggeringdemonstrationsoftheevolutionarycontinuityoflifeonEarth,Prozacevencheersuplobsters.10Highserotonin/lowoctopaminecharacterizesthevictor.Theopposite

neurochemicalconfiguration,ahighratioofoctopaminetoserotonin,producesadefeated-looking,scrunched-up,inhibited,drooping,skulkingsortoflobster,verylikelytohangaroundstreetcorners,andtovanishatthefirsthintoftrouble.Serotoninandoctopaminealsoregulatethetail-flickreflex,whichservestopropelalobsterrapidlybackwardswhenitneedstoescape.Lessprovocationisnecessarytotriggerthatreflexinadefeatedlobster.Youcanseeanechoofthatintheheightenedstartlereflexcharacteristicofthesoldierorbatteredchildwithpost-traumaticstressdisorder.

ThePrincipleofUnequalDistribution

Whenadefeatedlobsterregainsitscourageanddarestofightagainitismorelikelytoloseagainthanyouwouldpredict,statistically,fromatallyofitspreviousfights.Itsvictoriousopponent,ontheotherhand,ismorelikelytowin.It’swinner-take-allinthelobsterworld,justasitisinhumansocieties,where

thetop1percenthaveasmuchlootasthebottom50percent11—andwheretherichesteighty-fivepeoplehaveasmuchasthebottomthreeandahalfbillion.Thatsamebrutalprincipleofunequaldistributionappliesoutsidethefinancial

domain—indeed,anywherethatcreativeproductionisrequired.Themajorityofscientificpapersarepublishedbyaverysmallgroupofscientists.Atinyproportionofmusiciansproducesalmostalltherecordedcommercialmusic.Justahandfulofauthorssellallthebooks.Amillionandahalfseparatelytitledbooks(!)selleachyearintheUS.However,onlyfivehundredofthesesellmorethanahundredthousandcopies.12Similarly,justfourclassicalcomposers(Bach,Beethoven,Mozart,andTchaikovsky)wrotealmostallthemusicplayedbymodernorchestras.Bach,forhispart,composedsoprolificallythatitwouldtakedecadesofworkmerelytohand-copyhisscores,yetonlyasmallfractionofthisprodigiousoutputiscommonlyperformed.Thesamethingappliestotheoutputoftheotherthreemembersofthisgroupofhyper-dominantcomposers:onlyasmallfractionoftheirworkisstillwidelyplayed.Thus,asmallfractionofthemusiccomposedbyasmallfractionofalltheclassicalcomposerswhohaveevercomposedmakesupalmostalltheclassicalmusicthattheworldknowsandloves.ThisprincipleissometimesknownasPrice’slaw,afterDerekJ.deSolla

Price,13theresearcherwhodiscovereditsapplicationinsciencein1963.ItcanbemodelledusinganapproximatelyL-shapedgraph,withnumberofpeopleontheverticalaxis,andproductivityorresourcesonthehorizontal.Thebasicprinciplehadbeendiscoveredmuchearlier.VilfredoPareto(1848–1923),anItalianpolymath,noticeditsapplicabilitytowealthdistributionintheearlytwentiethcentury,anditappearstrueforeverysocietyeverstudied,regardlessofgovernmentalform.Italsoappliestothepopulationofcities(averysmallnumberhavealmostallthepeople),themassofheavenlybodies(averysmallnumberhoardallthematter),andthefrequencyofwordsinalanguage(90percentofcommunicationoccursusingjust500words),amongmanyotherthings.SometimesitisknownastheMatthewPrinciple(Matthew25:29),derivedfromwhatmightbetheharsheststatementeverattributedtoChrist:“tothosewhohaveeverything,morewillbegiven;fromthosewhohavenothing,everythingwillbetaken.”YoutrulyknowyouaretheSonofGodwhenyourdictaapplyevento

crustaceans.Backtothefractiousshellfish:itdoesn’ttakethatlongbeforelobsters,testing

eachotherout,learnwhocanbemessedwithandwhoshouldbegivenawideberth—andoncetheyhavelearned,theresultanthierarchyisexceedinglystable.

Allavictorneedstodo,oncehehaswon,istowigglehisantennaeinathreateningmanner,andapreviousopponentwillvanishinapuffofsandbeforehim.Aweakerlobsterwillquittrying,accepthislowlystatus,andkeephislegsattachedtohisbody.Thetoplobster,bycontrast—occupyingthebestshelter,gettingsomegoodrest,finishingagoodmeal—paradeshisdominancearoundhisterritory,roustingsubordinatelobstersfromtheirsheltersatnight,justtoremindthemwho’stheirdaddy.

AlltheGirls

Thefemalelobsters(whoalsofighthardforterritoryduringtheexplicitlymaternalstagesoftheirexistence14)identifythetopguyquickly,andbecomeirresistiblyattractedtohim.Thisisbrilliantstrategy,inmyestimation.It’salsooneusedbyfemalesofmanydifferentspecies,includinghumans.Insteadofundertakingthecomputationallydifficulttaskofidentifyingthebestman,thefemalesoutsourcetheproblemtothemachine-likecalculationsofthedominancehierarchy.Theyletthemalesfightitoutandpeeltheirparamoursfromthetop.Thisisverymuchwhathappenswithstock-marketpricing,wherethevalueofanyparticularenterpriseisdeterminedthroughthecompetitionofall.Whenthefemalesarereadytoshedtheirshellsandsoftenupabit,they

becomeinterestedinmating.Theystarthangingaroundthedominantlobster’spad,sprayingattractivescentsandaphrodisiacstowardshim,tryingtoseducehim.Hisaggressionhasmadehimsuccessful,sohe’slikelytoreactinadominant,irritablemanner.Furthermore,he’slarge,healthyandpowerful.It’snoeasytasktoswitchhisattentionfromfightingtomating.(Ifproperlycharmed,however,hewillchangehisbehaviourtowardsthefemale.ThisisthelobsterequivalentofFiftyShadesofGrey,thefastest-sellingpaperbackofalltime,andtheeternalBeauty-and-the-Beastplotofarchetypalromance.Thisisthepatternofbehaviourcontinuallyrepresentedinthesexuallyexplicitliteraryfantasiesthatareaspopularamongwomenasprovocativeimagesofnakedwomenareamongmen.)Itshouldbepointedout,however,thatsheerphysicalpowerisanunstable

basisonwhichtofoundlastingdominance,astheDutchprimatologistFransdeWaal15hastakenpainstodemonstrate.Amongthechimptroupeshestudied,maleswhoweresuccessfulinthelongertermhadtobuttresstheirphysicalprowesswithmoresophisticatedattributes.Eventhemostbrutalchimpdespotcanbetakendown,afterall,bytwoopponents,eachthree-quartersasmean.Inconsequence,maleswhostayontoplongerarethosewhoformreciprocalcoalitionswiththeirlower-statuscompatriots,andwhopaycarefulattentionto

thetroupe’sfemalesandtheirinfants.Thepoliticalployofbaby-kissingisliterallymillionsofyearsold.Butlobstersarestillcomparativelyprimitive,sothebareplotelementsofBeastandBeautysufficeforthem.OncetheBeasthasbeensuccessfullycharmed,thesuccessfulfemale(lobster)

willdisrobe,sheddinghershell,makingherselfdangerouslysoft,vulnerable,andreadytomate.Attherightmoment,themale,nowconvertedintoacarefullover,depositsapacketofspermintotheappropriatereceptacle.Afterward,thefemalehangsaround,andhardensupforacoupleofweeks(anotherphenomenonnotentirelyunknownamonghumanbeings).Atherleisure,shereturnstoherowndomicile,ladenwithfertilizedeggs.Atthispointanotherfemalewillattemptthesamething—andsoon.Thedominantmale,withhisuprightandconfidentposture,notonlygetstheprimerealestateandeasiestaccesstothebesthuntinggrounds.Healsogetsallthegirls.Itisexponentiallymoreworthwhiletobesuccessful,ifyouarealobster,andmale.Whyisallthisrelevant?Foranamazingnumberofreasons,apartfromthose

thatarecomicallyobvious.First,weknowthatlobstershavebeenaround,inoneformoranother,formorethan350millionyears.16Thisisaverylongtime.Sixty-fivemillionyearsago,therewerestilldinosaurs.Thatistheunimaginablydistantpasttous.Tothelobsters,however,dinosaurswerethenouveauriche,whoappearedanddisappearedintheflowofnear-eternaltime.Thismeansthatdominancehierarchieshavebeenanessentiallypermanentfeatureoftheenvironmenttowhichallcomplexlifehasadapted.Athirdofabillionyearsago,brainsandnervoussystemswerecomparativelysimple.Nonetheless,theyalreadyhadthestructureandneurochemistrynecessarytoprocessinformationaboutstatusandsociety.Theimportanceofthisfactcanhardlybeoverstated.

TheNatureofNature

Itisatruismofbiologythatevolutionisconservative.Whensomethingevolves,itmustbuilduponwhatnaturehasalreadyproduced.Newfeaturesmaybeadded,andoldfeaturesmayundergosomealteration,butmostthingsremainthesame.Itisforthisreasonthatthewingsofbats,thehandsofhumanbeings,andthefinsofwhaleslookastonishinglyalikeintheirskeletalform.Theyevenhavethesamenumberofbones.Evolutionlaiddownthecornerstonesforbasicphysiologylongago.Nowevolutionworks,inlargepart,throughvariationandnaturalselection.

Variationexistsformanyreasons,includinggene-shuffling(toputitsimply)andrandommutation.Individualsvarywithinaspeciesforsuchreasons.Naturechoosesfromamongthem,acrosstime.Thattheory,asstated,appearsto

accountforthecontinualalterationoflife-formsovertheeons.Butthere’sanadditionalquestionlurkingunderthesurface:whatexactlyisthe“nature”in“naturalselection”?Whatexactlyis“theenvironment”towhichanimalsadapt?Wemakemanyassumptionsaboutnature—abouttheenvironment—andthesehaveconsequences.MarkTwainoncesaid,“It’snotwhatwedon’tknowthatgetsusintrouble.It’swhatweknowforsurethatjustain’tso.”First,itiseasytoassumethat“nature”issomethingwithanature—something

static.Butit’snot:atleastnotinanysimplesense.It’sstaticanddynamic,atthesametime.Theenvironment—thenaturethatselects—itselftransforms.ThefamousyinandyangsymbolsoftheTaoistscapturethisbeautifully.Being,fortheTaoists—realityitself—iscomposedoftwoopposingprinciples,oftentranslatedasfeminineandmasculine,orevenmorenarrowlyasfemaleandmale.However,yinandyangaremoreaccuratelyunderstoodaschaosandorder.TheTaoistsymbolisacircleenclosingtwinserpents,headtotail.Theblackserpent,chaos,hasawhitedotinitshead.Thewhiteserpent,order,hasablackdotinitshead.Thisisbecausechaosandorderareinterchangeable,aswellaseternallyjuxtaposed.Thereisnothingsocertainthatitcannotvary.Eventhesunitselfhasitscyclesofinstability.Likewise,thereisnothingsomutablethatitcannotbefixed.Everyrevolutionproducesaneworder.Everydeathis,simultaneously,ametamorphosis.Consideringnatureaspurelystaticproducesseriouserrorsofapprehension.

Nature“selects.”Theideaofselectscontainsimplicitlynestedwithinittheideaoffitness.Itis“fitness”thatis“selected.”Fitness,roughlyspeaking,istheprobabilitythatagivenorganismwillleaveoffspring(willpropagateitsgenesthroughtime).The“fit”in“fitness”isthereforethematchingoforganismalattributetoenvironmentaldemand.Ifthatdemandisconceptualizedasstatic—ifnatureisconceptualizedaseternalandunchanging—thenevolutionisanever-endingseriesoflinearimprovements,andfitnessissomethingthatcanbeevermorecloselyapproximatedacrosstime.Thestill-powerfulVictorianideaofevolutionaryprogress,withmanatthepinnacle,isapartialconsequenceofthismodelofnature.Itproducestheerroneousnotionthatthereisadestinationofnaturalselection(increasingfitnesstotheenvironment),andthatitcanbeconceptualizedasafixedpoint.Butnature,theselectingagent,isnotastaticselector—notinanysimple

sense.Naturedressesdifferentlyforeachoccasion.Naturevarieslikeamusicalscore—andthat,inpart,explainswhymusicproducesitsdeepintimationsofmeaning.Astheenvironmentsupportingaspeciestransformsandchanges,thefeaturesthatmakeagivenindividualsuccessfulinsurvivingandreproducingalsotransformandchange.Thus,thetheoryofnaturalselectiondoesnotposit

creaturesmatchingthemselvesevermorepreciselytoatemplatespecifiedbytheworld.Itismorethatcreaturesareinadancewithnature,albeitonethatisdeadly.“Inmykingdom,”astheRedQueentellsAliceinWonderland,“youhavetorunasfastasyoucanjusttostayinthesameplace.”Noonestandingstillcantriumph,nomatterhowwellconstituted.Natureisnotsimplydynamic,either.Somethingschangequickly,buttheyare

nestedwithinotherthingsthatchangelessquickly(musicfrequentlymodelsthis,too).Leaveschangemorequicklythantrees,andtreesmorequicklythanforests.Weatherchangesfasterthanclimate.Ifitwasn’tthisway,thentheconservatismofevolutionwouldnotwork,asthebasicmorphologyofarmsandhandswouldhavetochangeasfastasthelengthofarmbonesandthefunctionoffingers.It’schaos,withinorder,withinchaos,withinhigherorder.Theorderthatismostrealistheorderthatismostunchanging—andthatisnotnecessarilytheorderthatismosteasilyseen.Theleaf,whenperceived,mightblindtheobservertothetree.Thetreecanblindhimtotheforest.Andsomethingsthataremostreal(suchastheever-presentdominancehierarchy)cannotbe“seen”atall.Itisalsoamistaketoconceptualizenatureromantically.Rich,moderncity-

dwellers,surroundedbyhot,bakingconcrete,imaginetheenvironmentassomethingpristineandparadisal,likeaFrenchimpressionistlandscape.Eco-activists,evenmoreidealisticintheirviewpoint,envisionnatureasharmoniouslybalancedandperfect,absentthedisruptionsanddepredationsofmankind.Unfortunately,“theenvironment”isalsoelephantiasisandguineaworms(don’task),anophelesmosquitoesandmalaria,starvation-leveldroughts,AIDSandtheBlackPlague.Wedon’tfantasizeaboutthebeautyoftheseaspectsofnature,althoughtheyarejustasrealastheirEdeniccounterparts.Itisbecauseoftheexistenceofsuchthings,ofcourse,thatweattempttomodifyoursurroundings,protectingourchildren,buildingcitiesandtransportationsystemsandgrowingfoodandgeneratingpower.IfMotherNaturewasn’tsohell-bentonourdestruction,itwouldbeeasierforustoexistinsimpleharmonywithherdictates.Andthisbringsustoathirderroneousconcept:thatnatureissomething

strictlysegregatedfromtheculturalconstructsthathaveemergedwithinit.TheorderwithinthechaosandorderofBeingisallthemore“natural”thelongerithaslasted.Thisisbecause“nature”is“whatselects,”andthelongerafeaturehasexistedthemoretimeithashadtobeselected—andtoshapelife.Itdoesnotmatterwhetherthatfeatureisphysicalandbiological,orsocialandcultural.Allthatmatters,fromaDarwinianperspective,ispermanence—andthedominancehierarchy,howeversocialorculturalitmightappear,hasbeenaroundforsome

halfabillionyears.It’spermanent.It’sreal.Thedominancehierarchyisnotcapitalism.It’snotcommunism,either,forthatmatter.It’snotthemilitary-industrialcomplex.It’snotthepatriarchy—thatdisposable,malleable,arbitraryculturalartefact.It’snotevenahumancreation;notinthemostprofoundsense.Itisinsteadanear-eternalaspectoftheenvironment,andmuchofwhatisblamedonthesemoreephemeralmanifestationsisaconsequenceofitsunchangingexistence.We(thesovereignwe,thewethathasbeenaroundsincethebeginningoflife)havelivedinadominancehierarchyforalong,longtime.Wewerestrugglingforpositionbeforewehadskin,orhands,orlungs,orbones.Thereislittlemorenaturalthanculture.Dominancehierarchiesareolderthantrees.Thepartofourbrainthatkeepstrackofourpositioninthedominance

hierarchyisthereforeexceptionallyancientandfundamental.17Itisamastercontrolsystem,modulatingourperceptions,values,emotions,thoughtsandactions.ItpowerfullyaffectseveryaspectofourBeing,consciousandunconsciousalike.Thisiswhy,whenwearedefeated,weactverymuchlikelobsterswhohavelostafight.Ourposturedroops.Wefacetheground.Wefeelthreatened,hurt,anxiousandweak.Ifthingsdonotimprove,webecomechronicallydepressed.Undersuchconditions,wecan’teasilyputupthekindoffightthatlifedemands,andwebecomeeasytargetsforharder-shelledbullies.Anditisnotonlythebehaviouralandexperientialsimilaritiesthatarestriking.Muchofthebasicneurochemistryisthesame.Considerserotonin,thechemicalthatgovernspostureandescapeinthe

lobster.Low-rankinglobstersproducecomparativelylowlevelsofserotonin.Thisisalsotrueoflow-rankinghumanbeings(andthoselowlevelsdecreasemorewitheachdefeat).Lowserotoninmeansdecreasedconfidence.Lowserotoninmeansmoreresponsetostressandcostlierphysicalpreparednessforemergency—asanythingwhatsoevermayhappen,atanytime,atthebottomofthedominancehierarchy(andrarelysomethinggood).Lowserotoninmeanslesshappiness,morepainandanxiety,moreillness,andashorterlifespan—amonghumans,justasamongcrustaceans.Higherspotsinthedominancehierarchy,andthehigherserotoninlevelstypicalofthosewhoinhabitthem,arecharacterizedbylessillness,miseryanddeath,evenwhenfactorssuchasabsoluteincome—ornumberofdecayingfoodscraps—areheldconstant.Theimportanceofthiscanhardlybeoverstated.

TopandBottom

Thereisanunspeakablyprimordialcalculator,deepwithinyou,attheveryfoundationofyourbrain,farbelowyourthoughtsandfeelings.Itmonitorsexactlywhereyouarepositionedinsociety—onascaleofonetoten,forthesakeofargument.Ifyou’reanumberone,thehighestlevelofstatus,you’reanoverwhelmingsuccess.Ifyou’remale,youhavepreferentialaccesstothebestplacestoliveandthehighest-qualityfood.Peoplecompetetodoyoufavours.Youhavelimitlessopportunityforromanticandsexualcontact.Youareasuccessfullobster,andthemostdesirablefemaleslineupandvieforyourattention.18Ifyou’refemale,youhaveaccesstomanyhigh-qualitysuitors:tall,strongand

symmetrical;creative,reliable,honestandgenerous.And,likeyourdominantmalecounterpart,youwillcompeteferociously,evenpitilessly,tomaintainorimproveyourpositionintheequallycompetitivefemalematinghierarchy.Althoughyouarelesslikelytousephysicalaggressiontodoso,therearemanyeffectiveverbaltricksandstrategiesatyourdisposal,includingthedisparagingofopponents,andyoumaywellbeexpertattheiruse.Ifyouarealow-statusten,bycontrast,maleorfemale,youhavenowhereto

live(ornowheregood).Yourfoodisterrible,whenyou’renotgoinghungry.You’reinpoorphysicalandmentalcondition.You’reofminimalromanticinteresttoanyone,unlesstheyareasdesperateasyou.Youaremorelikelytofallill,agerapidly,anddieyoung,withfew,ifany,tomournyou.19Evenmoneyitselfmayproveoflittleuse.Youwon’tknowhowtouseit,becauseitisdifficulttousemoneyproperly,particularlyifyouareunfamiliarwithit.Moneywillmakeyouliabletothedangeroustemptationsofdrugsandalcohol,whicharemuchmorerewardingifyouhavebeendeprivedofpleasureforalongperiod.Moneywillalsomakeyouatargetforpredatorsandpsychopaths,whothriveonexploitingthosewhoexistonthelowerrungsofsociety.Thebottomofthedominancehierarchyisaterrible,dangerousplacetobe.Theancientpartofyourbrainspecializedforassessingdominancewatches

howyouaretreatedbyotherpeople.Onthatevidence,itrendersadeterminationofyourvalueandassignsyouastatus.Ifyouarejudgedbyyourpeersasoflittleworth,thecounterrestrictsserotoninavailability.Thatmakesyoumuchmorephysicallyandpsychologicallyreactivetoanycircumstanceoreventthatmightproduceemotion,particularlyifitisnegative.Youneedthatreactivity.Emergenciesarecommonatthebottom,andyoumustbereadytosurvive.Unfortunately,thatphysicalhyper-response,thatconstantalertness,burnsupa

lotofpreciousenergyandphysicalresources.Thisresponseisreallywhateveryonecallsstress,anditisbynomeansonlyorevenprimarilypsychological.

It’sareflectionofthegenuineconstraintsofunfortunatecircumstances.Whenoperatingatthebottom,theancientbraincounterassumesthateventhesmallestunexpectedimpedimentmightproduceanuncontrollablechainofnegativeevents,whichwillhavetobehandledalone,asusefulfriendsarerareindeed,onsociety’sfringes.Youwillthereforecontinuallysacrificewhatyoucouldotherwisephysicallystoreforthefuture,usingituponheightenedreadinessandthepossibilityofimmediatepanickedactioninthepresent.Whenyoudon’tknowwhattodo,youmustbepreparedtodoanythingandeverything,incaseitbecomesnecessary.You’resittinginyourcarwiththegasandbrakepedalsbothpunchedtothemat.Toomuchofthatandeverythingfallsapart.Theancientcounterwillevenshutdownyourimmunesystem,expendingtheenergyandresourcesrequiredforfuturehealthnow,duringthecrisesofthepresent.Itwillrenderyouimpulsive,20sothatyouwilljump,forexample,atanyshort-termmatingopportunities,oranypossibilitiesofpleasure,nomatterhowsub-par,disgracefulorillegal.Itwillleaveyoufarmorelikelytolive,ordie,carelessly,forarareopportunityatpleasure,whenitmanifestsitself.Thephysicaldemandsofemergencypreparednesswillwearyoudownineveryway.21Ifyouhaveahighstatus,ontheotherhand,thecounter’scold,pre-reptilian

mechanicsassumethatyournicheissecure,productiveandsafe,andthatyouarewellbuttressedwithsocialsupport.Itthinksthechancethatsomethingwilldamageyouislowandcanbesafelydiscounted.Changemightbeopportunity,insteadofdisaster.Theserotoninflowsplentifully.Thisrendersyouconfidentandcalm,standingtallandstraight,andmuchlessonconstantalert.Becauseyourpositionissecure,thefutureislikelytobegoodforyou.It’sworthwhiletothinkinthelongtermandplanforabettertomorrow.Youdon’tneedtograspimpulsivelyatwhatevercrumbscomeyourway,becauseyoucanrealisticallyexpectgoodthingstoremainavailable.Youcandelaygratification,withoutforgoingitforever.Youcanaffordtobeareliableandthoughtfulcitizen.

Malfunction

Sometimes,however,thecountermechanismcangowrong.Erratichabitsofsleepingandeatingcaninterferewithitsfunction.Uncertaintycanthrowitforaloop.Thebody,withitsvariousparts,needstofunctionlikeawell-rehearsedorchestra.Everysystemmustplayitsroleproperly,andatexactlytherighttime,ornoiseandchaosensue.Itisforthisreasonthatroutineissonecessary.Theactsoflifewerepeateverydayneedtobeautomatized.Theymustbeturnedintostableandreliablehabits,sotheylosetheircomplexityandgainpredictabilityandsimplicity.Thiscanbeperceivedmostclearlyinthecaseof

smallchildren,whoaredelightfulandcomicalandplayfulwhentheirsleepingandeatingschedulesarestable,andhorribleandwhinyandnastywhentheyarenot.ItisforsuchreasonsthatIalwaysaskmyclinicalclientsfirstaboutsleep.Do

theywakeupinthemorningatapproximatelythetimethetypicalpersonwakesup,andatthesametimeeveryday?Iftheanswerisno,fixingthatisthefirstthingIrecommend.Itdoesn’tmattersomuchiftheygotobedatthesametimeeachevening,butwakingupataconsistenthourisanecessity.Anxietyanddepressioncannotbeeasilytreatedifthesuffererhasunpredictabledailyroutines.Thesystemsthatmediatenegativeemotionaretightlytiedtotheproperlycyclicalcircadianrhythms.ThenextthingIaskaboutisbreakfast.Icounselmyclientstoeatafatand

protein-heavybreakfastassoonaspossibleaftertheyawaken(nosimplecarbohydrates,nosugars,astheyaredigestedtoorapidly,andproduceablood-sugarspikeandrapiddip).Thisisbecauseanxiousanddepressedpeoplearealreadystressed,particularlyiftheirliveshavenotbeenundercontrolforagoodwhile.Theirbodiesarethereforeprimedtohypersecreteinsulin,iftheyengageinanycomplexordemandingactivity.Iftheydosoafterfastingallnightandbeforeeating,theexcessinsulinintheirbloodstreamwillmopupalltheirbloodsugar.Thentheybecomehypoglycemicandpsycho-physiologicallyunstable.22Allday.Theirsystemscannotberesetuntilaftermoresleep.Ihavehadmanyclientswhoseanxietywasreducedtosubclinicallevelsmerelybecausetheystartedtosleeponapredictablescheduleandeatbreakfast.Otherbadhabitscanalsointerferewiththecounter’saccuracy.Sometimes

thishappensdirectly,forpoorlyunderstoodbiologicalreasons,andsometimesithappensbecausethosehabitsinitiateacomplexpositivefeedbackloop.Apositivefeedbacklooprequiresaninputdetector,anamplifier,andsomeformofoutput.Imagineasignalpickedupbytheinputdetector,amplified,andthenemitted,inamplifiedform.Sofar,sogood.Thetroublestartswhentheinputdetectordetectsthatoutput,andrunsitthroughthesystemagain,amplifyingandemittingitagain.Afewroundsofintensificationandthingsgetdangerouslyoutofcontrol.Mostpeoplehavebeensubjecttothedeafeninghowlingoffeedbackata

concert,whenthesoundsystemsquealspainfully.Themicrophonesendsasignaltothespeakers.Thespeakersemitthesignal.Thesignalcanbepickedupbythemicrophoneandsentthroughthesystemagain,ifit’stooloudortooclosetothespeakers.Thesoundrapidlyamplifiestounbearablelevels,sufficienttodestroythespeakers,ifitcontinues.Thesamedestructiveloophappenswithinpeople’slives.Muchofthetime,

whenithappens,welabelitmentalillness,eventhoughit’snotonlyorevenatalloccurringinsidepeople’spsyches.Addictiontoalcoholoranothermood-alteringdrugisacommonpositive-feedbackprocess.Imagineapersonwhoenjoysalcohol,perhapsabittoomuch.Hehasaquickthreeorfourdrinks.Hisbloodalcohollevelspikessharply.Thiscanbeextremelyexhilarating,particularlyforsomeonewhohasageneticpredispositiontoalcoholism.23Butitonlyoccurswhilebloodalcohollevelsareactivelyrising,andthatonlycontinuesifthedrinkerkeepsdrinking.Whenhestops,notonlydoeshisbloodalcohollevelplateauandthenstarttosink,buthisbodybeginstoproduceavarietyoftoxins,asitmetabolizestheethanolalreadyconsumed.Healsostartstoexperiencealcoholwithdrawal,astheanxietysystemsthatweresuppressedduringintoxicationstarttohyper-respond.Ahangoverisalcoholwithdrawal(whichquitefrequentlykillswithdrawingalcoholics),anditstartsalltoosoonafterdrinkingceases.Tocontinuethewarmglow,andstaveofftheunpleasantaftermath,thedrinkermayjustcontinuetodrink,untilalltheliquorinhishouseisconsumed,thebarsareclosedandhismoneyisspent.Thenextday,thedrinkerwakesup,badlyhungover.Sofar,thisisjust

unfortunate.Therealtroublestartswhenhediscoversthathishangovercanbe“cured”withafewmoredrinksthemorningafter.Suchacureis,ofcourse,temporary.Itmerelypushesthewithdrawalsymptomsabitfurtherintothefuture.Butthatmightbewhatisrequired,intheshortterm,ifthemiseryissufficientlyacute.Sonowhehaslearnedtodrinktocurehishangover.Whenthemedicationcausesthedisease,apositivefeedbackloophasbeenestablished.Alcoholismcanquicklyemergeundersuchconditions.Somethingsimilaroftenhappenstopeoplewhodevelopananxietydisorder,

suchasagoraphobia.Peoplewithagoraphobiacanbecomesooverwhelmedwithfearthattheywillnolongerleavetheirhomes.Agoraphobiaistheconsequenceofapositivefeedbackloop.Thefirsteventthatprecipitatesthedisorderisoftenapanicattack.Thesuffereristypicallyamiddle-agedwomanwhohasbeentoodependentonotherpeople.Perhapsshewentimmediatelyfromover-relianceonherfathertoarelationshipwithanolderandcomparativelydominantboyfriendorhusband,withlittleornobreakforindependentexistence.Intheweeksleadinguptotheemergenceofheragoraphobia,suchawoman

typicallyexperiencessomethingunexpectedandanomalous.Itmightbesomethingphysiological,suchasheartpalpitations,whicharecommoninanycase,andwhoselikelihoodisincreasedduringmenopause,whenthehormonalprocessesregulatingawomen’spsychologicalexperiencefluctuateunpredictably.Anyperceptiblealterationinheart-ratecantriggerthoughtsbothofheartattackandanall-too-publicandembarrassingdisplayofpost-heart

attackdistressandsuffering(deathandsocialhumiliationconstitutingthetwomostbasicfears).Theunexpectedoccurrencemightinsteadbeconflictinthesufferer’smarriage,ortheillnessordeathofaspouse.Itmightbeaclosefriend’sdivorceorhospitalization.Somerealeventtypicallyprecipitatestheinitialincreaseinfearofmortalityandsocialjudgment.24Aftertheshock,perhaps,thepre-agoraphobicwomanleavesherhouse,and

makesherwaytotheshoppingmall.It’sbusyanddifficulttopark.Thismakesherevenmorestressed.Thethoughtsofvulnerabilityoccupyinghermindsinceherrecentunpleasantexperienceriseclosetothesurface.Theytriggeranxiety.Herheartraterises.Shebeginstobreatheshallowlyandquickly.Shefeelsherheartracingandbeginstowonderifsheissufferingaheartattack.Thisthoughttriggersmoreanxiety.Shebreathesevenmoreshallowly,increasingthelevelsofcarbondioxideinherblood.Herheartrateincreasesagain,becauseofheradditionalfear.Shedetectsthat,andherheartraterisesagain.Poof!Positivefeedbackloop.Soontheanxietytransformsintopanic,

regulatedbyadifferentbrainsystem,designedfortheseverestofthreats,whichcanbetriggeredbytoomuchfear.Sheisoverwhelmedbyhersymptoms,