2018: 6/28: Do We See Meaning Before We See Objects?

Here’s a unique, quite intriguing “contrarian” observation by Jordon Peterson:

“Order and chaos are not understood first, objectively (as things or objects), and then personified. That would only be the case if we perceived objective reality first, and then inferred intent and purpose. But that isn’t how perception operates, despite our preconceptions. Perception of things as tools, for example, occurs before or in concert with  perception of things as objects. WE SEE WHAT THINGS MEAN JUST AS FAST OR FASTER THAN WE SEE WHAT THEY ARE. Perception of things as entities with personality also occurs before perception of things as things. This is particularly true of the actions of others, living others, but we also see the non-living “objective world” as animated, with purpose and intent. …We evolved, over millennia, within intensely social circumstances. This means the most significant elements of our environment of origin were personalities, not things, objects of situations”.  Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life—An Antidote to Chaos , p. 39 (Bold and Caps added.)

So, here’s the question: Do we (or at least some of us) get upset with the political reality because in fact we are seeing  what things Mean as fast or faster than we see what they are?

Question 2: Does this passage ring true for you?

Question 3: Do you see any evidence of its accuracy in your own experience?

Question 4:  Is  this insight as new—and startling–  for you as it was for me?

 

 

 

Comments are closed.