I’ve seen a ton of posts/comments on this and related book subreddits of unrestrained judgment of someone’s entire personhood based on the books they have on their bookshelf, or more specifically about *particular* books someone may or may not have on their bookshelf. Not only online, I’ve also heard these sentiments expressed in my book club and from the staff at my local book store. Like if someone has read a particular book before, in the psychoanalyst’s investigation it is somehow the smoking gun for the truth behind that person’s entire personality and intellectual life. Someone might have literally hundreds of books on their shelf, but if one of the usual suspects is present it’s like none of the other books matter, all the rest become opaque in a tunnel vision of condescending pillory. People absolutely tear into that person on that book alone.
So I’ve read Jordan Peterson before, and have him on my bookshelf. I read Peterson a long time ago and don’t subscribe to his hate of LGBTQ people. I am terrified that in the future when I invite someone over to my apartment, whether it be just an acquaintance or someone of romantic interest, they will see Peterson on my shelf and will pass a damning judgement on me, that I’m secretively a misogynist or something. How can I explain to people that just because you read a book by someone doesn’t mean you necessarily agree with them or the ideas in the book? Or does it in fact mean that? Am I contaminated now? Is it the case that once you’ve read Peterson you are beyond all redemption?
I have been reading books from as many authors as I can trying to counteract Peterson. I’ve read Simone de Beauvoir, Mary Wollstonecraft, Susan Sontag, Judith Butler, Gloria Steinem, Eve Sedgwick, Maggie Nelson, Michael Warner, Edward Said, Foucault, Derrida, Lyotard, Zizek, Ta-Nehesi Coates, Howard Zinn, and Robin DiAngelo, but for some reason when I see those authors on my shelf it’s like none of them matter, that the presence of Peterson outweighs all of them in people’s perception of me as a reader, that they will think my tastes and my mind have been ruined, infused with him like a drop of sharp mustard in a crème brûlée.
I guess the real question is, are people justified in judging someone on this basis? What can I do to put people at ease? How can I assure people that I’m not some cryptic alt-right person? How can I avoid being judged singularly on one book amongst hundreds?
I know what you’re thinking “just take the book off the shelf”. While I could do that, it would feel dishonest. Not to mention if I was hiding it somewhere and someone DID happen to find it, that I had some hidden copy of Jordan Peterson, that is a far worse look to have. Then it would *really* look like I am harboring some secret reverence for him. Throwing it away would also feel like an intellectually dishonest thing to do.
Sometimes I feel like it doesn’t matter, I can keep reading and shelving new books, but that in the end it will do no good, that our deep-rooted tendency to pigeonhole people who potentially pose a threat to our values will be too strong to overcome. But other times I have hope, that maybe one day I will have read enough of the right people in order to grant myself redemption.
p.s. At least I haven’t read Atlas Shrugged
by ChaDefinitelyFeel
28 Comments
If you’re not planning to reread the books, let them go. You aren’t obligated to keep things that bring you this much anxiety. It’s great that you want to be well-rounded, but you don’t need to outweigh the fact you’ve previously read his books and don’t subscribe to his ideology. I don’t think you can speak against someone’s ideology if you’re not educated on their perspective, and you can easily explain that you read them prior to knowing of his public bigotry.
I find all of this very odd. Reading controversial authors is not a thought crime. It doesn’t “tarnish” you.
You can read authors and not agree with them. In fact, part of developing critical thinking skills is reading authors you don’t agree with and being able to have independent thoughts about it.
If someone judges you exclusively by the fact that you read a Jordan Peterson book, without having a discussion with you about it, they’re an idiot. Let them go.
Personally I think people with undesirable books should be gathered by an angry village mob and shot in the town square
You can’t control what other people think of you, so you should stop trying.
Just get rid of it, for crap’s sake. Your bookshelf will be much happier without having to hold up that putz’s words.
What do you need it for after you *read* it?
Get a copy of Mein Kampf and put it next to his book. Then no one will notice it.
Or buy a copy of Kapital and sandwich the Peterson book between two volumes. People will think you bought the Peterson book as a piece of confusing performance art and will assume you read neither it nor Kapital.
Or just…not give a shit about what other people think. Anyone who would base a psychological assessment on the mere *ownership* of a single book is probably intellectually vacuous themselves.
What a bizarre post.
If somebody who knows you well enough to get invited over to your place and see your bookshelf is going to change their mind on you based on a book you have, why would you give a fuck about their opinion of you in the first place?
Nobody is going to judge you for having read Jordan Peterson, or any of the other usual red flag suspects (Ayn Rand, The Secret, Dinesh D’Souza, etc)
But a bookshelf is not supposed to be a list of every book you’ve ever read in your life. If you have a book on your bookshelf, that says it’s something you want to keep in your life. If the bookshelf is in a public space, like a sitting room, then the books on it make a statement.
Do you have every picture book you read as a child on your bookshelf? No, because you got rid of them when they were no longer relevant to your life. If you got rid of the Very Hungry Caterpillar but not 12 Rules for Life, that’s a value judgment on your part and it’s legitimate for someone to wonder why.
Haha why would it feel “dishonest” to get rid of the book? Do you, after expanding your mind with hundreds of other books, still subscribe to his ideology? Then leave it, and be judged. Are you going to lend it out? Might you wanna reread it? Does it hold sentimental value? Then leave it and be judged. If I saw it, I would ask you about it, and then decide whether or not you were worth hanging out with.
Or just throw it in the trash, lol. that’s what it is. It belongs in the thrift store with the self-help and cookbooks.
edit: thinking about this, im worried OP doesnt understand WHY jordan peterson books are different. its not that its politically incorrect, or the vibes are off – its just poorly researched, poorly argued – jordan peterson is a bit of a liar and propagandist. his books do not serve the purpose of nonfiction books – to spread knowledge. they obfuscate. itd be like keeping poison apples in the fruit bowl
edit 2: kind of regret taking this seriously. OP’s last few lines make it clear that they’re just airing hurt feelings because people judge Jordan Peterson readers
Read whatever you like. Ask yourself why it matters to you what others might think about your bookshelf.
God, this is ridiculous. I’m sorry, but what the fuck?? You are giving yourself anxiety for absolutely zero reason.
1, You don’t have to keep that book or any of them.
2, Anyone who judges you like that, just by seeing a book on your shelf is an idiot. Do you want to date someone who looks at an object, doesn’t ask a single question, doesn’t do anything, just DECIDES you are evil or something? Do you want people like that in your life? With whom you have to hide innocuous shit and act like you are hiding the fact you committed a crime or else??
3, Are we really talking about the Foucault and De Beauvoir who also petitioned to abolish age of consent laws? If we want to look into actually “problematic” stuff, don’t act like many of the established “heroes” are not guilty. Yet we never seem to worry about that.
4, Nothing happened. You navel gaze and panic over an event that never even happened, running through an argument NOBODY made to you. You are in a fight that only exists in your head and you feel guilty about fictional things you just invented. Unhealthy shit.
This has got to be a troll post lmao
This is a really bizarre thing to spend your precious life on this earth thinking about. Just get rid of the book if you don’t agree with it and move on with your life.
Have some confidence in your choices. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for why you read a book, and if they judge you on a whim like that then you didn’t want them around anyways.
This sounds like a dumb question. Read what you want. Buy what you want. Display what you want.
holy shit go outside
I think it’s fine to read controversial things.
For what it’s worth, I once went on a few dates with someone who I found out was a Jordan Peterson fan. The reason I stopped seeing them is that they made a few misogynistic statements that I couldn’t look past, not because they like Jordan Peterson. Maybe those things are connected, but I also don’t know enough about this person to say that for sure and I definitely don’t know enough about Jordan Peterson to know.
If it’s making you anxious, get rid of the books. I don’t think people “test” their friends and acquaintances by what’s on their bookshelves.
Not keeping a book is not intellectually dishonest! I get rid of books I don’t want all the time! Why would you keep a book you don’t agree with and don’t plan to read again? What a weird take
Real question is do you do your bed in the morning, OP?
Trying to read books to “counteract” JP’s taint is just as “dishonest” as taking him off your shelf, it just takes a lot of extra steps.
This is not really a discussion about books, it’s more about relationships and self-image. If it’s really important to you that your friends know that you read JP, but also equally important to you that they not think of you as “someone who reads JP”, maybe therapy is a better place to look, rather than Reddit.
I’ve got a swastika paperweight on my desk. How many scented candles should I add to my desk to convince people I’m NOT a Nazi? Removing the paperweight is not an option.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but if I went home with someone and they had Peterson on their shelf, my issue wouldn’t be with the fact they read it. Not even the tiniest bit of judgement for just reading his books as a specific action would be forthcoming. It would be their choice to give him a place on limited shelf real estate and to display that book, on purpose, when they knew perfectly well that I, a woman, was coming over, given not only his vile views on LGBTQ+ people but also on women and their place in general. The man is a misogynist, but you could have read it before knowing that, or have read it wanting context to make your judgements about him. Fine, not a problem. But why did you like it enough to keep it long-term and display it?
Idk I’m the type that likes exploring different ideas from people I dislike but I borrow these books from the library. If I saw JP on someone’s shelf I would ask about their thoughts on it. If they say stuff like, “man power, woman weak” then I know we’re not compatible. I wouldn’t automatically think they are a POS for having it on their shelf, but I’d wonder why they gave him money instead of borrowing it from the library.
The weird part is you care too much about how people perceive you based on what books you’ve read.
Oh man. The brain diarrhea I subject myself to by reading this god forsaken website.
Why do I do this to myself?
You really stepped in it, OP. Your only option now is to begin every conversation by apologizing profusely for having read 12 Rules For Life, and explaining that while you don’t agree with any of its principles, you are morally obligated to keep it on display in order not to be dishonest.
r/bookscirclejerk << is this way lol
42. You need to read 42 books to cancel out any Jordan Peterson books. Hope this helps OP!