Jordan Peterson is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto and has been a clinical psychologist for 20 years. In recent years, however, he has turned into an extremely popular public intellectual and speaker, with his recently published book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos becoming an international best-seller. It’s also interesting to note that his fan base seems to be primarily made up of young men. But before addressing why he appeals to this particular demographic, it’s important to outline how this clinical psychologist has garnered so much media attention.

Peterson’s Rise to Fame

The sensationalism surrounding Peterson began in 2016, with his public opposition to (what he perceived as) the enforced use of gender-neutral pronouns. He has become a fierce critic of Canada’s Bill C-16, which became law in June 2017. This bill makes it a criminal offense to discriminate against people on the basis of their gender identity and expression. The bill also extends Canada’s hate speech laws to cover transgender people.

Peterson claimed that misgendering someone or refusing to use his or her preferred pronouns could be classed as hate speech under this piece of legislation. However, Canadian experts in law stress that Peterson has either misunderstood Bill C-16 or is mischaracterizing it. Law professors say that misusing pronouns is not going to be treated as hate speech. And so Peterson’s critics believe he has been weaving a misleading narrative about how free speech is under serious threat in Canada.

Peterson has become highly popular for his strong stance against political correctness, leftism, socialism, ‘social justice warriors’, and university campus protest culture. The Canadian psychologist is now part of a curious movement called the Intellectual Dark Web (IDW), coined by mathematician Eric Weinstein (who is part of the group). The IDW was detailed in a New York Times piece, with writer Bari Weiss defining the group as:

…a collection of iconoclastic thinkers, academic renegades and media personalities who are having a rolling conversation — on podcasts, YouTube and Twitter, and in sold-out auditoriums — that sound unlike anything else happening, at least publicly, in the culture right now. Feeling largely locked out of legacy outlets, they are rapidly building their own mass media channels.

Other members of this group, who have starkly different political views and backgrounds, seem to share some common values in common. They are all generally dismayed with the political left and identity politics, believing that both are undermining freedom of speech. The IDW also includes American conservative commentators like Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, British journalist Douglas Murray, British anti-extremist activist Maajid Nawaz, evolutionary biologists Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying, feminists Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Christina Hoff Sommers, commentator Dave Rubin, science writer Michael Shermer, and author Sam Harris. Members of the IDW regularly appear on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, as well as talk shows and podcasts hosted by Shapiro, Harris, and Rubin.

NBC has said Peterson is the “favourite figure of the alt-right”, although the Canadian psychologist has frequently criticised the alt-right and denies being right-wing. He says he is simply a classical liberal. Other mainstream media outlets, nonetheless, point out his conservative leanings. Peterson also seems to appeal to male-dominated groups, such as men’s rights activists and incels (‘involuntary celibates’).

Most of Peterson’s fans seem to be young men, which he has suggested is partly due to the fact that YouTube, where he receives a lot of his attention, is mainly a male domain. But there are other key reasons why young men are looking up to Peterson. His internet celebrity status comes down to both the kind of content he is delivering and the style in which he delivers it.

Peterson’s Messages to Young Men

Scottish fans of Peterson (mostly young men) who came to hear him speak in Glasgow told The National why they find his messages so important. Gordon McNicol, 18, said:

Young men our age are, honestly, lost. They don’t know what they’re doing. They’ll go out drinking, partying, they’ll go and hit on girls – they don’t really have any meaning in life, whereas Peterson’s book is more about trying to find what makes you happy through responsibility, meaningfulness and finding something you truly enjoy.

Meanwhile, James Wilder, 32, said:

I think most people are here for the personal development side ... it’s really about responsibility, that’s the heart of it, to take ownership of your actions and not to be frightened to do the things that you need to do.

It seems like a lot of men aren’t so interested in Peterson’s political opinions. They are attracted more to his content on self-development, believing it offers a way to instill meaning into their lives and grow as a man. Many young men feel lost and disaffected, not really knowing how to be a ‘true man’ or what masculinity means to them. Peterson appears to be discussing self-development in a way that resonates strongly with young men.

A lot of Peterson’s messages are about growing up, getting your act together, and taking action. In 12 Rules for Life, his first commandment to young men is to “stand up straight with your shoulders back”. He also tells readers: “Don’t be dependent. At all. Ever. Period.” Here we can see Peterson highlighting the developed, mature man as exuding confidence and being self-reliant. Peterson describes being nice as a “low-end virtue”. His goal is to “strengthen the individual”. This warning against becoming weak rejuvenates the masculine ideal of strength, of being assertive and self-assuredly becoming the best version of yourself. Peterson has also claimed that men are hungry for responsibility, and he argues that responsible action is the path to a meaningful life. He emphasizes that a man’s self-respect will come from being responsible.

Another reason Peterson appeals to so many young men is that he regularly draws on mythology, especially the notion of the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey is an archetypal story that mythologist Joseph Campbell noticed was found in cultures all over the world. Campbell laid out the structure of the hero’s journey, citing various cultural examples, in his classic book The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The hero’s journey is all about stepping into unknown territory, overcoming trials and tribulations, and coming out the other side psychologically transformed and sharing one’s boon with the world.

Applying the hero’s journey to one’s life is highly attractive to many young men out there. They feel that elements of this story, such as facing challenges, fears, and insecurities, and developing mental toughness, courage, and determination are what they desperately need in their lives. Young men perceive the hero’s journey as giving them a template on how to get themselves out of a rut, overcome weakness, and realise their full potential. This kind of mythology is communicated as a form of self-improvement, which is extremely attractive to young men who feel they are stuck and undeveloped as men. Peterson has rekindled the equation of masculinity with ambition and heroism; that is, heroism in its deepest sense.

Peterson’s Personality

The Canadian psychologist may also be attracting a great deal of male attention due to his personality. As a speaker, he is charismatic in a curious way. He commands authority with a stern, dad-like attitude. Which is interesting, as you wouldn’t really expect this paternal, strict, rule-giving approach to appeal to young men. But perhaps a lot of young men have grown up without a lot of guidance or life wisdom relayed to them from a male mentor or father figure. And they have found that living an aimless, reckless life is wearing thin, and feels empty.

So in a sense, Peterson has become the male mentor or authority figure that young men feel they need in their life. Rebelling against discipline and responsibility is no longer ‘cool’; it is seen as childish. Many young men view Peterson as an instructive teacher who is there to help them grow out of a suspended state of adolescence and become real men. And the psychology professor has been moved by the influx of emails and messages from young men who say he has radically transformed their lives. Peterson is a complex, controversial, and fascinating public figure. You may disagree intensely with his political views, but it’s clear that he is speaking to young men on a deep level, motivating them to positively improve their lives. This is something that deserves closer attention.