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On March 2, Jordan Peterson, one of the most famous Canadians in the world, will publish his second book with Penguin Random House Canada (PRHC), by far the largest publisher in the country. Irrespective of whether Beyond Order: 12 More Rules For Life itself merits the attention, the release will be one of the publishing events of the year. In large part, thats because Peterson, 58, has become literally iconic. A relatively obscure if popular professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, Peterson erupted into the zeitgeist in 2016 when he released Professor Against Political Correctness, a three-part YouTube video series that began by criticizing the federal governments actions in adding gender identity and expression to Canadas prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Peterson went on to portray himself as a free speech crusader, denouncing Ottawa for turning dictated gender pronouns into compelled speech, and expanding outward into railing against cultural Marxism and radical left political machinations. In his own words, the psychologist hit a hornets nest at the most propitious time. By 2018, as his videos racked up millions of viewers and his first PRHC title, the self-help tome 12 Rules For Life, became a massive international bestseller, Peterson was the culture war incarnate. To his fans, he is the unanswerable intellectual scourge of political correctness; hes been described as the acclaimed public thinker [who] offered eternal truths applied to modern anxieties. To his critics, he is the living symbol of hate speech and transphobia and white supremacy.

The first quotation sits on PRHCs website; the second was uttered by one of the publishers employees, as reported by Vice, at an open company-wide virtual meeting. And thats the other reason March 2 will be one of the Canadian book trades notable days in 2021. Publishing has had a long history of episodes of cognitive dissonance between its body and soul, or, to be more precise, its self-image as an urgent cultural voiceincreasingly for the marginalized and otherwise voicelessand its practical needs as a profit-seeking enterprise. But 2020 unfolded as an exceptional year of reckoning for publishing in Canada and abroad, a reckoning that has continued into this year.

READ:Is Jordan Peterson the stupid mans smart person?

Since its Nov. 23 announcementinforming the public and its employees on the same dayof Beyond Orders forthcoming release, PRHC has remained tight-lipped about it. Very few of the employees Macleans reached out to want to make any kind of comment, even unofficial, and none want their names revealed. Those who are willing to speak focus on three main issues: the social media and online reaction to what became known of the company-wide meeting; how publishing, writ large, should weigh its moral responsibilities; and how the employees themselves are now rethinking their concepts of their workplace.

The level of response is much the same among PRHCs growing array of diverse authors. Most of those Macleans contacted either did not respond or said they were unwilling to comment. A handful said they feel conflicted about the Peterson publication, primarily because of what they describe as deeply positive interactions with the companys highly regarded editors, publishers and publicists. One prominent author, speaking off the record, finds that contradictions abound, even in the authors own heart. The times call for a self-critical mood, and impatience for realnot cosmeticchange is necessary, says the writer. Yet, I think believing that publishing can reflect the world more truthfully, while also believing that expression must be curtailedas determined by publishing housesare not easily compatible beliefs.

Among the few writers willing to speak openly is one who sees no difficulty in holding both convictions. Kristen Worley is the author of 2019s Woman Enough: How a Boy Became a Woman and Changed the World of Sport, a memoir about her life that also details her successful challenge, as an Olympic-level cyclist and XY female, to International Olympic Committee policies that were not reflective of human diversity. She now works with the IOC to find effective remedies for the international sporting industry. In terms of its worldwide network and influence, says Worley, Penguin Random House resembles the IOC itself, and like the international sporting industry, should pivot from a top-down leadership style to a bottom-up stewardship model. Only then will publishing be able to positively reflect the range of human diversity. People are immersed in different stories and life experiences, she says, and making those available is important for the growth and vitality of our society. A global publisher like Penguin has the potentialas a storyteller, influencer and steward of best practicesto positively impact individual lives and the very fabric of communities worldwide.

If that is an oblique critique of PRHCs Peterson position, prominent social entrepreneur Andreas Souvaliotis is more blunt. Publishers and media, like Macleans, for instance, or Facebook, have to navigate a very fine line, says the author of the 2019 memoir Misfit: Autistic, Gay, Immigrant, Changemaker, between freedom of speech on one side and lies or explicitly hate-inducing stuff on the other. He doesnt think Petersondespite holding a slew of opinions Souvaliotis considers odious, extreme, miserably negative and potentially even dangerouscan or should be banned from publication. But neither does he think PRHC was wise to take him on. Im a business guy. I know exactly where the vulnerabilities of a business can be in terms of image and reputation. A publisher has to really think hard before taking on unsavoury authors like Peterson, precisely because it may alienate its employees or its supply chain, which is authors. Youre a publisher in 2021, when everybody is thinking very, very hard about mutual respect and inclusion, and you have an extremely precious commodity in your talent, your employees: do you really want to publish this sh-t?

READ:A little compassion for Jordan Peterson

A century ago, publishings clashes swirled about potential responses to obscenity laws; today they are a reflection of how rapidly the book trades Overton windowits range of acceptable opinionis changing, especially among its younger and more socially progressive employees. One staffer, who linked their shock directly to their love for PRHCs commitment to diversity and inclusion, told Macleans that the Peterson announcement felt like a slap in the face to everything that [the company] had said and had agreed to do just beforehand in the wake of George Floyds May 25 death under the knee of a Minnesota police officer. Another employee, far more mindful of PRHCs commitment to turning a profit, saw the staff anger and anxiety from a different angle: Its the posturing. The company has profited from its moral stance, they said, referring to the number and stature of racialized and other minority authors PRHC has published and also in the way so many people employed there feel an investment in the company, and that it has the same kind of moral standards and the same political standards as they do.

Sue Kuruvilla, who in January became publisher of Random House Canadathe prestigious PRHC imprint that will release Beyond Orderresponded to a request for comment by Macleans: One of my core values as the new publisher of Random House Canada is to profile a wide variety of opinions, voices and perspectives. We must reflect and amplify a diversity of viewpointsboth within our organization and in the books we publish. Sometimes, that means publishing ideas and perspectives that some will disagree with. A decision to publish an author does not always mean we all must agree or disagree with their views. Discussion and debate are the foundation of better understanding.

Fans are photographed with Peterson (Mark Sommerfeld/The New York Times/Redux)

The combination of authorial celebrity and publisher cloutPRHC publishes or distributes more than half the books in Canada, a percentage that will only increase after its parent company finalizes its US$2-billion acquisition of Simon & Schustermakes the Peterson clash particularly newsworthy here. But its far from the first Canadian instance. In an interview, independent publisher Jack David, co-founder of Toronto-based ECW Press, recalls incidents as far back as 1982 when some staffers, apparently unaware of Christs words to St. Paul in Acts 9:5-6, found the title of John Metcalfs Kicking Against the Pricks to be offensive (in fact, its a reference to what Christ saw as Pauls futile, self-harming persecution of Christians). More recently, simply mentioning the name Karla Homolka, in regards to an opportunity to publish the English translation of her prison roommates Pillow Talk, meant I was shut down, says David. If Id gone ahead with it, I would have been working on my own.

By on my own, David means the compromise he made with employees three years ago when ECW published George Bowerings novel No One. George, who Ive known for years, was playing with fiction and memoir. The narrator, named Georgebut not George Boweringwas a university prof who goes to conferences with the hope of meeting women and bedding them. Hes also involved in a complicated marital relationship. So, 80 per cent of the book is dealing with an academic on the loose, a kind of Rakes Progress, and then the whole book changes because his wife turns the tables on him in the last 15-20 pages.

READ:Jordan Petersons people are not who you think they are

Staffers objections were that the novel was misogynist and used the narrator to shield the real Bowering from any responsibility for his real-life actions. David, who thought No One was a good novel, went ahead with publication, but the publicity devolved to me, he says. That meant making phone calls and sending out books and doing things I hadnt done in 20 years, because I didnt want staff to do stuff they didnt want to. It didnt end well. Bowering, his wife and his friends were all upset with the publicity efforts while those who disliked the novel as a concept, including media reviewers who wouldnt touch it, remained unhappy. Soon, people who had been friendly to me were no longer talking to me, says David, and that was on both sides of the divide.

Similar disruptions have lately roiled other media as well, including most notably, Twitter, whichafter years of employee pressure on CEO Jack Dorseysuspended Donald Trumps account in the wake of the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. But publishing has the most money at risk in such disputesPetersons first book has sold five million copies worldwide, bringing PRHC, which had global rights to it, tens of millions in profit. It also has the largest young workforces and the biggest collective platform. The industry has faced the brunt of high-profile discord between employers and employees, and at an increasing pace in the past year.

In March 2020, dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout from its New York offices to protest against the publishing giants decision to take on Woody Allens autobiography, Apropos of Nothing, under its Grand Central imprint. The comedian and director has long been accused by his daughter, Dylan Farrow, of molesting her as a child in the early 1990s. Ronan Farrow, Allens son, who strongly supports his sister, is the author of one of the most significant books to emerge from the #MeToo era, Catch and Kill, released by another Hachette imprint. Its a huge conflict of interest and wrong, said one anonymous Hachette employee to a journalist. Hachette CEO Michael Pietsch exacerbated the anger when, in an interview with the New York Times, he set out a publishing ethos: each book has its own mission. Ronan Farrow responded to Pietsch in an email that Hachettes declaration of editorial independence between its imprints effectively meant that as you and I worked on Catch and Kill, [addressing] the damage Woody Allen did to my family . . . you were secretly planning to publish a book by the person who committed those acts of sexual abuse. The following day, Hachette dropped Apropos of Nothing.

Three months later, numerous Hachette staffers in London told their employer during a meeting that they didnt want to work on a new young readers book by J.K. Rowling, because of the Harry Potter authors well-known anti-transgender comments. This potential mutiny was averted when Hachette argued that whatever Rowlings opinions on trans people, she was not expressing them in The Ickabog. In a statement that seemed to green-light future employee actions, the publisher said, We will never make our employees work on a book whose content they find upsetting for personal reasons, but we draw a distinction between that and refusing to work on a book because they disagree with an authors views outside their writing, which runs contrary to our belief in free speech.

By June, a third cause gripped the industry, after Floyds death. Across the U.S., with echoes elsewhere including Canada, massive Black Lives Matter demonstrations were forcing reckonings in all kinds of institutions and businesses. Anti-racism books like Ibram X. Kendis How to Be an Anti-Racist and Robin DiAngelos White Fragility shot up North American bestseller lists, while Black authors began collecting the information to show what they already knew: they werent as well-paid as their white counterparts.

Publishers responded with strong promises of the sort that excited the PRHC employee who was later shocked by the Peterson announcement, commitments to increase diversity and inclusion among workers and authors both. These were genuine and sincere pledges, (almost) everyone who has commented agrees, but they did not change publishings ruling ethos. Every book is a distinct individual; releasing titles with diametrically opposing viewpointsthe memoirs of a sexual abuser alongside a book denouncing sexual abuse, for instancesays nothing about a publishers own moral stance. And, in a distinction meaningless to anyone outside the book trade, every imprint has its own DNA and publishes very different books from other imprints, even when owned by the same publisher.

READ:This publishers first thriller broke pre-release sales records

When Penguin Random House (PRH) in the U.S. quietly acquired Beyond Order in 2019in retrospect, virtually an assurance that PRHC would also publish itNew York staff were also unhappy. But PRHs head office dampened employee discontent by moving the book from its first company homethe actual Random House marqueto the less prestigious Portfolio imprint, home to Dilbert comic collections and conservative business-oriented titles. That is significant to employees, but for readers its still PRH. Likewise, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, who lost his book deal with Simon & Schuster after fist-pumping the Capitol riot mob, found a new home for his anti-Big Tech book with conservative publisher Regnery, as was widely expected. Regnery is distributed worldwide by Simon & Schuster, making the major publishers rejection of Hawley virtue-signalling at its finest.

As a tumultuous year in publishing drew to a closeand thats without mentioning COVID-19the November Canadian announcement about Peterson struck a hornets nest every bit as lively as the one the psychologist hit in 2016. To his critics, Peterson is on the wrong side of every major cause: #MeToo, trans rights and Black Lives Matter. Nor will Beyond Order be a cash machine on the level of its predecessor, since PRHC has only Canadian, not world, rights this time around. In Canada, it has not been shuffled off to a less prestigious imprint. There is a degree of bafflement and disappointment among employees for all those reasons, according to those who will talk about it. And anger, too, not only against the company but also the condemnatory stream of right-wing reaction that came their way after news of their virtual town hall became public.

It made news stories around the world, the majority of which noted the tears in one staffers eyes in their headlines, the better for right-wing media to hammer people they often refer to as sad snowflakes. Mikhaila Peterson, Jordans daughter and his primary publicist, tweeted: How to improve business in 2 steps: Step 1: identify crying adults; Step 2: fire. In response, the staffer who was critical of PRHC posturing noted that publishing doesnt pay well in actual monetary terms. The trade-off for that has been the cultural capital you get from it, which makes people feel they have a more evolved workplace and a stake in that. And when the public announcement and the town hall meetingarranged with four or five hours noticecome on the same day, you know the decision has already been made. That made an ironic joke out of the companys offer of crisis counsellors for a so-called crisis of its making, according to the same employee.

There were also valid questions raised about security, said the second employee, including in publicity, marketing and sales, all of which might be liftedsources were unsurefrom the shoulders of the unwilling in the manner of Jack David taking on publicity for No One. (In that regard, a 2018 remark from then-PRHC CEO Brad Martin probably points to one factor in signing up Peterson, with his army of YouTube viewers: contemporary publishings most prized non-fiction authors come with a ready-made following.) Are angry people going to descend on our offices? asked that staffer. Publishers make the argument that there is a distinction between the publisher and what it publishes, but thats not clear outside, because more and more often people are finding the publisher who published that work and coming after them, they added. And why shouldnt we only publish what reflects our values? Were a private company, and we get to choose who we publish. Perhaps so, says the other employee while also noting that the company regularly publishes or distributes, without attracting the scrutiny that accompanies a Peterson title, a steady stream of revenue-producing books most staff probably disagree with. Last year we publishedwithout any noiseDave Rubins Dont Burn This Book, and he was literally the opener for Jordan Peterson on tour.

As for not listening to employee objectionsor making a decision and then listeningits not just Souvaliotis who finds that idea toxic for employers. ECWs Jack David simply laughs. We hire people who are smart and responsible, and we especially like them when theyre feisty. So we listen to them. Publishers realize the free speech argument is no longer the killer app, the one that shuts up all opposition, not when the opposing side thinks the speech is both false and harmful. But as long as there is a mismatch between the values and politics of an increasingly diverse junior workforce and its more traditional, in every sense, higher-ups, publishing (and other media) will keep having these moments. One could prove epic. The industry is already buzzing: about the cash value and moral swamp involved in weighing whether to publish, should it ever see the light of day, Donald Trumps presidential memoir.

This article appears in print in the March 2021 issue of Macleans magazine with the headline, 12 rules for publishing Jordan Peterson. Subscribe to the monthly print magazine here.

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Jordan Petersons upcoming book has opened up a clash of values at its publisher - Maclean's

MAGIC VALLEY For one Idaho family, the importance of blood donations became clear after their five-year-old son, Jack Moser, was hit by a trailer while out camping.

One mistake nearly cost Jack his life.

Jacks just new to being on a bike and he turned and tipped over and he fell under the wheels of the trailer. It was one of those situations where it was nobody's fault. Nobody was acting recklessly or doing anything they werent supposed to. It was just an accident," Jordan Peterson, Jack's Uncle, said.

Jack was losing a lot of blood and in order to save his life, he was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital where he received 11 units of blood.

To put that into perspective, thats more blood than I have and Im 61 250 pounds. I mean thats enough blood to go into a five-year-old, he was tiny. I think that gives you an idea of how much blood he was losing and how important this blood is," Peterson said.

After realizing how vital the blood was to save Jack's life, the family decided to do their part and help set up blood drives to encourage people to donate blood.

Im a paramedic, I understand that blood is important. You need it to make your bodywork. When you dont have that and when you have a family member that needs it, then you realize how important it is," Peterson said.

The severe weather happening across the country has caused a blood shortage nationwide after the Red Cross has been forced to cancel more than 10,000 blood and platelet donations in certain states. They are encouraging Idahoans to donate if they can, to help people nationwide.

Blood donations are critically important. Its not something you can manufacture. In many regards it's kind of similar to an organ donation, it's something so many people count on," Matt Ochsner, Reginal Communications Director of The Red Cross, said.

Jack's family created Help Jack Giveback, a Facebook page, and a way for the family to give back to the community after they received support following Jack's accident. They say their plan moving forward, is to host an annual blood drive.

Where he went from needing 11 units of blood to now where he's running around being a kid today, shows thats such an important part of the process. Thats why we want to help make sure that whoever else goes through this process doesnt have to wonder if they are going to have enough blood," Peterson said.

To learn more about Help Jack Give back you can visit their Facebook page. You can also visit the Red Cross's website to check on blood drives happening near you.

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'You need it to make your body work': Idaho family helps Red Cross overcome blood shortage - 6 On Your Side

Honestly, Id be pretty satisfied if you told me at the beginning of the season that the Memphis Grizzlies would be thrashed with injuries including no Jaren Jackson Jr., only 2 games of Justise Winslow, and 7 games without Ja Morant and with COVID, and theyd still be at .500.

I still am, but the timeline hasnt been pretty since the conclusion of the 7-game winning streak. People think the front office is sabotaging the season partly because they rested a few players after having 4 games in 5 nights. Theyre questioning Coach Taylor Jenkins rotations...when hes adamant about a 10-man rotation, even with 10 players. Its data accumulation season after all!

It seems like the most insufferable timeline for a team thats in the thick of a playoff race in year 2 of a rebuild, but here we are. Lets talk about these concerns with a roundtable, featuring myself (@PAKA_FLOCKA), Justin Lewis (@J_Timberfake_), Jordan Peterson (@JordanP_901), Ben Hogan (@NotTheGolfer), and Jesse Cinquini (@CinquiniJesse).

GBB Associate Editor Parker Fleming: Probably about a 4. Hell snap out of this slump in particular, as there will be a progression to the mean that my Core 4 co-host, Nathan Chester, mentioned in his recent column. I have it higher than a 1-3, because I saw what teams were doing to him in the bubble, and Im hoping its not a sign of things to come in high-stakes games. However, I'm buying his relentless improvement mentality to make him more of a threat from downtown.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Justin Lewis: 3. Hes a second year player tasked with running an entire team. While his shot not falling is a concern, its not unexpected. Hes a fighter and worker. He will figure it out.

GBB Staff Writer Jordan Peterson: My concern is a 1. Where a fan sets his or her expectations dictates whether concern is warranted. I am not concerned long-term about Ja Morant. Not one iota. Not a smidge. Its frustrating when his struggles align with losses, but he is a mere mortal with incredible resilience.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Ben Hogan: 6. Im more concerned for the near future than I am the long term. Jas shooting percentage has dropped from 48% last year to 46% this year. But, his shooting percentage inside the 3-point line has actually improved. The problem is that his 3-point shooting has dropped from 34% to 21%. Ja is a slasher and does most of his work near the rim, and teams know that and have adjusted. The stat that sticks out the most to me is that according to NBA.com, about 70% of the threes Ja has shot have been where the closest defender is at least six feet away. That shows that defenses are giving him that shot. The reason Im not panicking more than a 6 is because Ja doesnt rely on his jumpshot, and is still getting his points.

GBB Staff Writer Jesse Cinquini: Im at a four. Ja Morant is the leagues worst three-point shooter this season when factoring in both percentage (20.6%) and volume (3.3 attempts per game). But as GBBer Nathan Chester highlighted in his recent piece on the audacious point guard, the law of averages is bound to catch up to a percentage that has nowhere to go but up.

GBB Associate Editor Parker Fleming: Im not concerned at all. Though the offense hasnt been good, Im really enjoying his defensive activity. Since Tony Allen, the team has needed a perimeter stopper that can slow the opposing teams go-to guys, and Winslow looks like the part. He looks healthy, just rusty, and hell round his game to be an impactful player for the Grizzlies present and future success.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Justin Lewis: Absolutely not. Hes played two games with some tenacious defense and ended the night healthy. His health is of utmost concern. The rest will come back to him with time.

GBB Staff Writer Jordan Peterson: With a hope-for-the-best-but-expect-the-worst fan base, it is hard not to brace for dashed expectations. But I budgeted for Winslow rust in my expectations. Im not concerned right now. We are experimenting. Sometimes it feels like dress rehearsal, but I appreciate that hes mentally ready to contribute.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Ben Hogan: No. Its only two games. Sure, his shot looks rough as he has had his fair share of airballs. The thing is though, he looks healthy when he runs and jumps. Thats huge. Hes played some really good defense in the first two games as well. And that was against guys like Devin Booker and Luka Doncic, which are not easy assignments. His jump shot may be a work in progress right now, but it seems like everything else is on schedule. The shot will come around.

GBB Staff Writer Jesse Cinquini: Not at all. Winslow spent nearly a year without stepping foot on an NBA court. It was all but a guarantee that he would showcase some rust. If these 1-for-10 and 3-for-14 showings persist for weeks, then theres a reason for concern. But two games is far too minuscule a sample size to panic.

GBB Associate Editor Parker Fleming: 0. Were seeing what happens when a big man is rushed back to injury with Kristaps Porzingis (who suffered the same injury). He looks a step slower, hes a big factor in his teams defensive regression, and theyre apparently taking calls for him. Sure, I understand the frustration, but Id take whats happening in Memphis over the alternate realities.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Justin Lewis: 0. Its not their window, and...well...look at the Kristaps Porzingis nightmare. Id rather be patient with him than risk his future.

GBB Staff Writer Jordan Peterson: Concerned wouldnt be the word. I am eager, but I trust the folks assessing risk tolerance better than my own eagerness to see him play. Short gains risking long-term peril isnt palatable to me, so Ill harness my patience.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Ben Hogan: 1. Did I think that Jaren would have returned by now? Yes. Am I concerned? Nope. I want a completely healthy Jaren when he returns, and not have to worry about him being reinjured when he does return. Also, Im going to put my trust in this front office once again. They havent really done anything wrong for me to question how the Jaren injury recovery is being handled. But, as I have said before, a little more transparency about it would be nice. If Jaren hasnt returned a month from now, then I might be a tad more worried.

GBB Staff Writer Jesse Cinquini: Three. A torn meniscus is one of the more severe injuries in basketball. Yes, most players with Jackson Jrs injury havent sat out this long to recuperate. But Jaren isnt most players. Hes chock-full of superstar potential, and the Grizzlies dont want to risk him possibly reinjuring the meniscus to win a few more games in the here and now.

GBB Associate Editor Parker Fleming: Xavier Tillman will likely be a casualty from the rotation, but Im most concerned about Desmond Bane falling out of the rotation. Theres not much separation between him, Grayson Allen, and DeAnthony Melton, and Im afraid that his lack of experience will make him the odd man out. His development is the most crucial out of the 4 shooting guards, as he has the best chance of sticking around for the next great Grizzlies team.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Justin Lewis: It has to be Xavier Tillman right? Theres no fathomable scenario that Dillon, Grayson, or Melton fall out completely, but Tillman plays in a crowded front court when you consider Anderson is best as a 4 for this team.

GBB Staff Writer Jordan Peterson: With Kyles elevated versatility, I think he is an asset on any lineup. I dont want to see Melton lose steam. Hes shooting 10% better from three then last season so far, and I think the league is already showing us just how important those offensive weapons are.

GBB Senior Staff Writer Ben Hogan: DeAnthony Melton. Once the Grizzlies have a healthy roster it just becomes a numbers game. We have already seen it, as the Grizzlies do have a glut of options on the wing. Melton can play the 1 or 2, and Tyus is already the backup to Ja and I think that Justise may also get some minutes as the primary ball handler as well. Then you have DB, Grayson, and Bane. It just feels like Melton will be the odd man out unless he somehow forces Coach Taylor Jenkins to play him. Hopefully Coach Jenkins rolls with the hot hand out of those guys, but we have seen that he has a preference for playing Dillon and Grayson.

GBB Staff Writer Jesse Cinquini: John Konchars current status as a fringe rotation player is in jeopardy of evaporating once the Grizzlies are at full strength. Hes a high IQ player who can do a bit of everything on the floor. Although Konchar has not found the range from deep with consistency this season (26.7%). Three-point shooting has long been his swing skill. Showcasing no improvement in this area, its difficult to picture Konchar as a rotation staple in the future.

Thank to these writers for tuning into this roundtable. Leave your thoughts below on these questions, and follow them on Twitter!

For more Grizzlies talk, subscribe to the Grizzly Bear Blues podcast network on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and IHeart. Follow Grizzly Bear Blues on Twitter and Instagram.

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GBB Roundtable: Are you worried yet? - Grizzly Bear Blues

Around Thanksgiving, many of us try to pause and reflect on the things we are grateful for in our lives.

Gratitude doesnt come easy for humans, but on the fourth Thursday in November many of us do our best to try to be grateful, at least for this one day of the year.

There are many things for which Im grateful. We live during a time noteworthy for its peace and plenty, both of which are remarkable compared to any other period in human history. Im grateful for the good health I enjoy today and the relative lack of suffering Ive had to endure in more than four decades on this earth. In my personal life, Im thankful for the friends and family who have given me so much, and for a devoted wife who has given me three healthy children, and much more.

Its good to be grateful for such things, I think, but last night it occurred to me I was also missing something. My daughter had just finally fallen asleep, and I was re-reading Jordan Petersons book 12 Rules for Life on the floor. (We read books together at bedtime.)

Someone had remarked to me recently that Peterson talks about gratitude in the books second chapter, Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible for Helping. Sure enough, near the end of the chapter Peterson mentions a miracle of life he feels a profound, dumbfounded gratitude for: the persistence of humans in severe pain to continue bearing lifes burdens.

It is they, Peterson argues, who hold society together through little more than grit and tenacious spirit.

Most individuals are dealing with one or more serious health problems while going productively about their business, Peterson writes.

If anyone is fortunate enough to be in a rare period of grace and health, personally, then he or she typically has at least one close family member in crisis, he continues. Yet people prevail and continue to do difficult and effortless tasks to hold themselves and their families and society together.

Its easy to forget the number of people in pain in this world. By the nature of his profession, Peterson, a clinical psychologist, is more aware than most of the pain humans endure.

What shocks Peterson, and makes him profoundly grateful, is the masses of suffering people who do not give in to despairbut instead continue to bear responsibility despite the slings and arrows of life.

People are so tortured by the limitations and constraints of Being that I am amazed they ever act properly or look beyond themselves at all, Peterson writes. But enough do so that we have central heat and running water and infinite computational power and electricity and enough for everyone to eat and even the capacity to contemplate the fate of broader society and nature, terrible nature, itself.

"All that complex machinery that protects us from freezing and starving and dying from lack of water tends unceasingly towards malfunction through entropy, and it is only the constant attention of careful people that keeps it working so unbelievably well, he continues. Some people degenerate into the hell of resentment and the hatred of Being, but most refuse to do so, despite their suffering and disappointments and losses and inadequacies and ugliness, and again that is a miracle for those with the eyes to see it.

In a sense, this is the flip side of Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rands popular 1957 magnum opus on individualism and capitalism. Rand saw the Atlases of the world as the productive entrepreneurs who worked tirelessly to create value despite looters seeking to steal the fruits of their labor.

The Atlases of the world, as Peterson sees it, are the millions and millions of faceless people who persevere in the face of adversity and suffering that would drive so many to despair.

This is why people must treat themselves like someone they are responsible for helping. We must care for ourselves so we can bear the burden and suffering that life will inevitably inflict upon us, Peterson argues.

You need to consider the future and think, 'What might my life look like if I were caring for myself properly? What career would challenge me and render me productive and helpful, so that I could shoulder my share of the load, and enjoy the consequences? What should I be doing, when I have some freedom, to improve my health, expand my knowledge, and strengthen my body?'

Heaven, Peterson explains, will not arrive on its own. And if we fail to strengthen ourselves, we may find its opposite here on earth.

So this Thanksgiving, I can only express my deepest thanks to all the people who continue to persevere despite the chaos and pain, who refuse to succumb to despair, resentment, envy, and cruelty.

You, too, are the Atlases of this worldparticularly during this season of despair and suffering.

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Why Jordan Peterson's Message on Gratitude Is More Important Than Ever | Jon Miltimore - Foundation for Economic Education

Neumann-Goretti senior Omoiye Jordan controls the ball during a recent game against Conwell-Egan. Photo/Mark Zimmaro

Omoiye Jordan isnt all talk.

As a vocal leader of the Neumann-Goretti High School girls basketball team, Jordans actions are both heard by her teammates and followed on the court. But Jordan goes a step further when it comes to school and standing up for things she believes in.

After witnessing a summer of racial tension unfold across the country, Jordan took a stand when she noticed similar things were happening in her own life. She began building the groundwork for a black student forum at her school.

After everything hit during quarantine and police brutality was happening, there was a lot of insensitivity going on in my school, Jordan said. And I felt people need to be more educated about racial situations like that and I thought this would help. I wanted to bring in speakers to the school to talk to students and teachers about it, hoping problems would come to an end.

The process of forming an official forum has been slowed during the pandemic, but Jordan isnt giving up, even if it happens after she graduates in the spring.

With COVID and everything, the administration at school was having a struggle with it, Jordan said. But they are talking to me about starting it next year for the underclassmen. There have been some Zoom meetings so far with parents on the topic, helping them know what to say to their kids. I dont know exactly how many people attend but it started happening and it wasnt happening before. So its a step in the right direction.

Its that type of bravery and persistence that has earned her teammates and coaches respect both on and off the court. Jordan is seen as one of the Saints leaders as the team once again competes in the tough Philadelphia Catholic League Red Division, and shes pretty good at putting the ball in the basket, too. Jordan has both an inside and outside presence with the ability to grab big rebounds or knock down a crucial 3-pointer when her team needs it. Saints coach Andrea Peterson says Jordan checks a lot of boxes, especially when it comes to leadership.

Shes fantastic, Peterson said. She leads this crew and wants to do a lot of things off the court and lead movements. Omoiye is the one that takes the lead on a lot of stuff, and people respect her for that and I think its going to bring awareness to a lot of things. And on the court, even if she struggles scoring, she finds a way to play harder on defense to find her stride.

The Saints had a tough start to the season, as they were able to participate in full-contact practices only a handful of times before starting the season against perennial powerhouses Cardinal OHara and Archbishop Wood, which resulted in an 0-2 start. Since then, Neumann-Goretti has rebounded with wins over Bonner-Prendergast and Conwell-Egan before taking a tough loss to Archbishop Carroll over the weekend.

Were still trying to figure it out, Peterson said. Its not a sprint, its a marathon. Weve had limited practice, but as long as we stay together, well hit our stride. If we can dig deep a little bit, were going to be really, really good.

Jordan says her team is rounding into form.

We started off a little slow, Jordan said. But weve been able to pick it up and get in a rhythm because we rely on each other more instead of relying on one person to win the game for us like last year.

Preparation wasnt easy. When teams werent allowed to practice due to COVID restrictions, Jordan helped unite her team with workouts whenever possible, even if it meant just keeping in contact.

We try to call each other or text each other for open runs if they were available, or get into the gym when we can, so thats been helpful, but it was way better being able to actually practice again, she said.

Jordan says shes undecided on where she plans to attend college next year but hopes basketball is in her future. Right now, shes just thankful that there is indeed a high school basketball season after some doubt lingered surrounding the pandemic.

I was really disappointed at the beginning of the season because it wasnt looking good, Jordan said. But I was really glad our coach was able to tell us that we were going to play and finish out my senior year with an actual season.

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Jordan a leader on and off the court - South Philly Review