I just finished watching the GQ interview of Jordan Peterson, which is a very good long form interview from an antagonistic interviewer:
This is a great interview for many reasons; it's over 100 minutes long, Helen Lewis is forceful in confronting his ideas, and we witness Peterson's ability to argue well.
One thing that strikes me about Dr Peterson's approach is his emphasis on telling the truth. This isn't just something to do for others, but to ourselves.
Telling the truth to ourselves about who we are is difficult, because it forces us to stop and look objectively at the decisions we make in life and realize that there is real darkness in each and every one of us, and if we don't fight it, it can take over.
Religious Practices
The Judeo-Christian tradition of truth telling is 3000 years old. Before Christ, the Jews of the Old Testament offered sacrifices in the Temple in atonement for their sins. Since the New Testament, this has taken the sacramental form of Confession, which is practiced both in the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church.
As a Roman Catholic, I can attest that Confession is a powerful tool. On a purely natural level, by telling my sins to another man (in this case, a priest), I'm speaking out loud my shortcomings, which has a powerful effect in avoiding them in the future, and reminds me I'm not as great as I think I am at times.
Other Religions
What sort of truth telling do other religions practice? I'd love to hear your thoughts on truth telling in the comments below.
-Jeff