Academia is not my world, so I don't really know what's what, but there are an increasing number of people ringing this bell. Sam Harris, John McWhorter, Glenn Loury amongst others. He is not on an island here.
I have never really been interested in Peterson... Just not really my style of ideas and communication. But this article is being written in some form by less radioactive people.
I think the academic/intellectual community sees themselves more like professional athletes than having a regular job. They compete in the idea space as heavyweights and so the idea that someone is entering that space without earning it is a slap in the face to those who have. And a much larger slap in the face to a minority who may have their accomplishments cheapened because they will be looked upon as a diversity hire.
That's the challenge to this line of thinking is that they assume it is pervading from the academic realm to the culture at large. Peterson clearly makes some leaps in this regard and doesn't really give it the unpacking to make it land.
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