The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

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351. The Demise of the Left: from Liberalism to Marxism | Naomi Wolf

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Apr 24, 2023

Guest

Naomi Wolf

Naomi Wolf, an acclaimed author and journalist known for her feminist writings, engages in a thought-provoking dialogue on her controversial journey. She shares her rise through third wave feminism and the backlash she faced for her views on topics like COVID-19 and cancel culture. The conversation dives into the suppression of free speech on the left and how personal trauma impacts women in academia. Wolf also critiques the left's current political humor and discusses evolving perceptions of attractiveness in modern society.

01:43:50

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Episode notes

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ANECDOTE

Naomi Wolf's Experience with Sexual Assault at Yale

Naomi Wolf was molested by her professor, Harold Bloom, at Yale.
The institution protected Bloom, impacting Wolf's academic trajectory.

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INSIGHT

Institutional Tolerance of Sexual Assault

Institutions that tolerate sexual harassment create a culture of impunity.
This allows perpetrators to act without fear of consequences.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Impact of Assault on Wolf's Career

Wolf's academic career was derailed because of Bloom's influence.
She couldn't get recommendations from him, forcing a career change.

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The Importance of Political Dialogue and Engagement

02:07 • 2min

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The Roots of Cancel Culture: A Personal Narrative

04:02 • 5min

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Navigating Prejudice: Women's Experiences at Yale

08:33 • 12min

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Exploring Betrayal and Trauma in Institutional Contexts

20:22 • 3min

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Navigating Academia and the Victorian Lens

23:12 • 20min

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Syphilis and Social Dynamics in Victorian England

43:03 • 5min

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Contagion and Control: The Politics of Disgust

47:58 • 13min

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Navigating the Pace of Change in Political Thought

01:01:27 • 2min

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The Shift of Humor in Political Comedy

01:03:46 • 2min

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Evolving Attractiveness: Gender, Science, and Society

01:06:13 • 29min

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The Playful Path of Communication and Transformation

Hitler's Table Talk is a compilation of Adolf Hitler's private dinner conversations from 1941 to 1944, offering insights into his views on religion, politics, and culture. The talks were recorded by his personal assistants, including Heinrich Heim, Henry Picker, and Martin Bormann, and provide a unique perspective on Hitler's personal beliefs and ideologies.

Middlemarch

George Eliot

Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, is a novel that delves into the complexities of provincial life in 19th-century England. The story revolves around the intersecting lives of its characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Dr. Tertius Lydgate, as they navigate marriage, vocation, and social class. Eliot critiques the conventional romance narratives of her time by portraying marriage as a complex and often problematic institution. The novel also explores themes of idealism, self-interest, hypocrisy, and the constraints on women's lives. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch between 1829 and 1832, the novel incorporates historical events such as the Great Reform Act of 1832 and early developments in medicine. Eliot's realistic portrayal of ordinary human life, with its quiet tragedies and small triumphs, has made 'Middlemarch' a masterpiece of English literature.

The Beauty Myth

How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

Naomi Wolf

In 'The Beauty Myth,' Naomi Wolf argues that the concept of beauty is an artificial construct used to oppress women, particularly in modern society. The book explores how this 'beauty myth' affects various aspects of women's lives, including work, culture, religion, sex, hunger, and violence. Wolf contends that this myth is perpetuated by large industries that profit from women's insecurities, keeping women in a state of self-consciousness and self-hatred as they strive to meet impossible beauty standards. The book calls for a reevaluation of society's perception of women's worth and challenges the harmful effects of these beauty ideals.

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bessel van der Kolk

In this book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma reshapes both the body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores various treatments, including neurofeedback, meditation, sports, drama, and yoga, which activate the brain’s natural neuroplasticity to aid in recovery. The book emphasizes the power of relationships in both causing and healing trauma and offers hope through descriptions of novel approaches to treatment. It is based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists in the field.

The Bodies of Others

The New Authoritarians, COVID-19 and the War Against the Human

Naomi Wolf

In 'The Bodies of Others', Dr. Naomi Wolf examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic response on human freedoms and societal structures. She argues that powerful forces, including Big Tech, Big Pharma, the CCP, and oligarchical elites, seized upon the pandemic to undermine democratic institutions and fundamentally alter human relationships. Wolf contends that these forces aim to replace the pre-March 2020 world with a new order where all aspects of human life are controlled behind a digital paywall, threatening bodily autonomy and traditional freedoms. The book highlights the critical issue of bodily autonomy and the dangers of a world where technology dictates human behavior.

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson and Naomi Wolf discuss her original ambitions, the derailment of her scholarly career at the hands of misogyny, her rise to the forefront of third wave feminism as a best-selling author, and how the mainstream turned on her once she wrote on a topic the Left had blacklisted: COVID-19.

Naomi Wolf is an American author and journalist. Her first book, “The Beauty Myth,” would challenge notions of attraction, arguing they are societally fabricated. This publication became an international bestseller and cemented Wolf as one of the leading spokeswomen for the third wave feminist movement. She has published many books since then, such as “The End of America, and Vagina: A New Biography.” In recent years, she has come under fire for being an “anti-vaxer” and a “conspiracy theorist,” which led Wolf to write her most recent book, “The Bodies of Others: The New Authoritarians, COVID-19 and The War Against the Human.”

- Links -

For Dr. Naomi Wolf

The Bodies of Others (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Bodies-Others-Authoritarians-COVID-19-Against/dp/1737478560

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naomirwolf/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomirwolf?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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