ABSTRACT

In this article, we critically reflect on the role of Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson as a public intellectual in an increasingly hybrid, interconnected, and plural public sphere. In today’s attention economy, and in the face of a general climate of scepticism and crisis of expertise, we are faced with the limits of the liberal ideal of the public intellectual who filters information for the public. In fact, we argue, the public intellectual can in some cases come to function as a creator of filter bubbles instead of furthering democracy. We analyse Peterson’s writings and public performances in order to illustrate this, focusing on the particularities of his rhetoric and dramaturgical strategies. First, we discuss his misreadings and misrepresentation of ‘postmodernist’ thought. Then, we examine the non-verbal aspects of his performance, in order to unpack his appeal by examining his affective strategies. Last, we apply theory from the cognitive sciences, most notably relevance theory and the guru effect, to examine Peterson’s rhetoric and the strategies he uses to inspire trust in his audience.

摘要

在本文中，我们批判性地反思了加拿大心理学家乔丹·彼得森作为公共知识分子在日益混合、相互关联和多元化的公共领域中所扮演的角色。在当今的注意力经济中，面对普遍的怀疑和专业危机的气氛，我们面临着为公众过滤信息的公共知识分子的自由主义理想的局限性。事实上，我们认为，公共知识分子在某些情况下可以充当过滤泡沫的创造者，而不是促进民主。为了说明这一点，我们分析了彼得森的著作和公开表演，重点关注他的修辞和戏剧策略的特殊性。首先，我们讨论他对“后现代主义”思想的误读和歪曲。然后，我们检查他表演的非语言方面，为了通过检查他的情感策略来打开他的吸引力。最后，我们应用认知科学的理论，尤其是关联理论和大师效应，来检验彼得森的修辞和他用来激发听众信任的策略。