Notes from the second session of our Lent Study Group.
Précis of Chapter 2 – “Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible for Helping”
Jordan Peterson begins this chapter by exploring a paradox: people often take better care of their pets or loved ones than they do themselves. He attributes this to deep psychological and theological issues, including self-loathing, guilt, and a failure to recognize one’s own worth.
Peterson draws on the biblical story of Adam and Eve to illustrate how shame and sin cause people to reject responsibility for their own well-being. After the Fall, Adam and Eve hide from God, illustrating humanity’s tendency to avoid confronting its own flaws. He argues that modern individuals, plagued by self-doubt and guilt, often neglect themselves because they feel unworthy of care.
However, Peterson insists that just as we care for others out of duty, we must extend the same moral obligation to ourselves. He links this idea to the logos (reason and order) in Christian thought, arguing that human beings have inherent value and should treat themselves accordingly.
The practical takeaway is that people must act as if they are worthy of care and responsibility. By nurturing themselves properly—physically, mentally, and spiritually—they will become stronger and more capable of fulfilling their responsibilities to others.
Resonance of Peterson’s Chapter 2 with the Penny Catechism
Jordan Peterson’s second rule, “Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible for Helping,” aligns with key Penny Catechism teachings, particularly regarding the dignity of the human person, moral responsibility, and the duty of self-care as part of God’s plan.
1. Human Dignity and the Image of God
The Penny Catechism teaches that man is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). Peterson argues that people often neglect themselves due to shame, guilt, or self-loathing, yet the Christian view is that each person has inherent worth. Since God values each soul, we too must recognize our own worth and care for ourselves as a duty to Him.
Penny Catechism: “God made me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.”
→ If we fail to care for ourselves, we fail in this purpose.
2. The Fall, Sin, and Self-Neglect
Peterson uses Adam and Eve’s fall to explain how guilt and shame lead to avoidance and self-destructive behavior. The Penny Catechism teaches that original sin wounded human nature, making it harder for us to do good. People avoid responsibility for themselves because sin distorts their self-image—yet grace restores us.
Penny Catechism: “Baptism cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs of Heaven.”
→ Acknowledging our worth before God is the first step in treating ourselves rightly.
3. Duty to Care for the Body and Soul
Peterson suggests that people should care for themselves with the same responsibility they show toward others. The Penny Catechism reinforces this principle, teaching that we have a moral obligation to preserve both body and soul, as they are God’s gifts.
Penny Catechism: “It is a sin to waste our health or endanger our lives.”
→ Looking after ourselves is not selfish but an act of obedience to God.
4. The Role of the Logos: Reason and Order
Peterson draws on the Christian idea of the Logos (reason, divine order) to argue that living properly aligns us with truth. The Catechism teaches that God is Truth, and our duty is to live according to His divine order, not the disordered whims of self-neglect or despair.
Penny Catechism: “We must serve God by believing in Him, hoping in Him, and loving Him with all our heart.”
→ Serving God includes treating ourselves as He intended: as beings worthy of care and purpose.
Conclusion
Peterson’s insights align with the Penny Catechism’s call to self-discipline, self-respect, and the pursuit of holiness. He offers a secular articulation of a deeply Catholic truth: we must care for ourselves because we belong to God and are responsible for fulfilling His purpose in our lives.
Resonance of Peterson’s Chapter 2 with the Catechism on Modernism (1907, Pius X)
Jordan Peterson’s principle “Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible for Helping” aligns with Pope St. Pius X’s condemnation of Modernism, particularly in its rejection of subjectivism, emotionalism, and self-destructive tendencies that arise from a distorted view of human nature.
1. The Danger of Subjectivism and Self-Loathing
Peterson identifies a common modern tendency: people often neglect themselves because they feel unworthy. He argues that this is due to guilt, shame, and self-doubt.
The Modernist heresy, as condemned by Pius X, teaches that truth is subjective and personal experience defines morality and belief. This subjective outlook fosters self-loathing, as individuals detach themselves from objective truth and divine order.
Catechism on Modernism: “The Modernist does not admit that God is a Being distinct from the universe, but confounds God with the world.”
→ When man loses sight of God’s objective existence, he loses sight of his own worth and responsibility.
Peterson’s call to treat oneself with care and responsibility is thus a counter-modernist stance—it implicitly acknowledges that humans have inherent worth, not because of their feelings, but because reality and divine order demand it.
2. The Fall, Sin, and the Modernist Rejection of Responsibility
Peterson draws on Genesis to explain how guilt and shame lead people to avoid responsibility for their own well-being. The Catechism on Modernism warns that Modernists reject the traditional doctrine of Original Sin, leading to a false optimism about human nature or, conversely, a despairing nihilism.
Catechism on Modernism: “Modernists pervert the eternal concept of sin, reducing it to a mere psychological or social condition.”
→ Without the true doctrine of sin and grace, people either despair (leading to self-neglect) or deny their fallen nature (leading to irresponsibility).
Peterson’s rule affirms responsibility as a moral obligation, which contradicts Modernist passivity and self-indulgence.
3. Duty to Care for the Body and Soul as a Moral Obligation
Peterson argues that self-care is not self-indulgence but moral responsibility—just as one would care for a loved one out of duty.
The Catechism on Modernism rejects the Modernist view that religion is a personal emotional experience, instead insisting that faith is an act of the intellect and will, guided by objective moral law.
Catechism on Modernism: “Faith is not a blind religious sentiment springing from the depths of the subconscious, but an assent of the intellect to revealed truth.”
→ Taking responsibility for oneself is an act of rational obedience to divine order, not a product of emotions or arbitrary personal decisions.
4. The Logos and the Rejection of Chaos
Peterson emphasizes that human beings should live in accordance with the Logos (reason, divine order), aligning themselves with truth and responsibility rather than chaos and nihilism.
Modernism, in contrast, rejects Logos and promotes a fluid, evolving concept of truth. The Catechism on Modernism explicitly condemns this:
Catechism on Modernism: “Truth is one and immutable. The progress of knowledge is only an increase in the number of truths possessed; it does not change the truth itself.”
→ Living rightly is not about subjective personal feelings but about aligning with objective truth, which Peterson indirectly affirms.
Conclusion
Peterson’s second rule opposes Modernist errors by:
- Affirming objective reality over subjectivism.
- Recognizing human dignity and responsibility instead of embracing despair or self-indulgence.
- Calling for self-discipline as a moral duty, not an emotional choice.
- Aligning with Logos and divine order, rejecting the chaos of relativism.
While Peterson does not frame his argument in explicitly theological terms, his rejection of modern nihilism and his defense of moral responsibility align with Pius X’s condemnation of Modernism as a distortion of truth and a denial of divine order.
Lent Study Group
Each week, we read a chapter of Dr. Jordan Peterson’s Twelve Rules for Life and compare and contrast his insights with perennial Catholic doctrine. Participants are encouraged to read the chapter ahead of the meeting, noting their initial thoughts, questions, and reflections. Afterward, they search the Catechisms—including the Penny Catechism, the Catechism against Modernism, and other traditional sources—for relevant teachings that either align with or challenge Peterson’s ideas.
During the meeting, we discuss these comparisons, examining how Catholic moral theology, hierarchy, and objective truth provide a deeper and more complete understanding of the principles Peterson explores. By engaging in critical reflection and theological analysis, participants strengthen their ability to articulate and defend the faith, apply practical wisdom to daily life, and prepare spiritually—especially in the context of the liturgical season.
If you’d like to join in the discussion and participate in our study group, we meet every Wednesday from 5.30pm at Mrs Reed’s home on Hartington Road, email for an invitation.
