picture in my mind

This is a proud moment for me, ahah;
Jordan Peterson was somebody that put me off at first,
with the anti-feminist clickbait titles of videos his fans made on YouTube.
(At one point, I even flagged his videos as NOT INTERESTED,
so that he doesn't pop up on my YouTube feed.)

But fast-forward certain irresistible videos later,
I have learnt to really respect this dude as an academic,
and in fact, I don't disagree with most of what he says, at all.

Jordan Peterson is a straight-talking, ruthless, thinker and clinical psychologist.

I see him as someone who is unwilling to compromise on his principles;

a trait I thoroughly respect in a person.

But because he had very clear objections against some things the liberals were proposing

within the structural framework of feminism and trans-gender politics, he became both the radical right's icon (sexist men simply latch on him as a saviour of sorts, *roll eyes, everyone*), and a demon against the radical left. And his real academic arguments are lost.

I'm proud, because I feel like I have successfully remained open-minded and now understood more because of it. I agree with his general stance for equal opportunity for all, but not necessarily equality of outcome for all (because he says that's something that approaches communism) -- which he claims today's feminism strives for, and he doesn't believe in that. I respect that -- and it's actually what Islam says about women, I think, more or less (we could delve deeper into this, but let's not right now). Where I feel Jordan Peterson fails with respect to his public persona is that he fails to appear empathic enough with women so that he comes across as anti-women, which as I've learnt, he isn't. And this is where I feel valid opponents of radical feminism fail in public discourse. If you wish to produce real valid arguments against certain elements in the pursuit of equality for women, do show empathy to the plight of women and don't ever make it seem that you'd rather women not have equality at all (and then let real sexists use you as a tool). Empathy and kindness are so important in the achievement of real-life gains. I suppose Peterson's aim isn't to influence the public per se, I don't know; I feel he'd say that he's basically an academic. But man, if you do want to make an effect and change in the world, isn't it always via the approach of love and not antagonism?