NOT everyone was comfortable advertising their attendance at Saturday night’s event. One of those present asked Peterson the question: “How do I come out to my friends that I came to this lecture without them thinking I joined an alt- right cult?” To roars of approving laughter, he replied: “Clearly time for some new friends!”
Of course, many young men were there with their friends – and some had even brought their parents. I asked some attendees what had prompted them to come along.
James Wilder, 32, Glasgow
I’M here because I think his ideas are very relevant for the kind of public discussion that’s going on right now.
I consider myself progressive, left, but there’s a lot about that that I’m unhappy with. There seems to be an intellectual shortfall in some aspects of that, and Dr Peterson talks about that, and explains possible reasons.
I think most people are here for the personal development side ... it’s really about responsibility, that’s the heart of it, to take ownership of your actions and not to be frightened to do the things that you need to do.
John Begg, 65, Renfrewshire
YOUR gut feeling when you’re listening to him is that he’s very well researched, and he’s telling the truth. And a lot of the subject matter isn’t normally discussed, but ordinary people are well-informed and intelligent nowadays, so it’s filling a gap that I think the mainstream media doesn’t do.
Alan Hughes, 23, Kilsyth
Alan and Christine Hughes
I’VE been following Jordan Peterson for a couple of years and I think he’s got some really interesting ideas on a lot of things.
I started off listening to podcasts, and a couple of his videos started coming up on YouTube, and I checked them out. I just finished his book – it’s taken me quite a while to get through it, I’ve been making sure to take in as much as possible, but I’ll be going back through it with a highlighter no doubt.
Christine Hughes, 58, Kilsyth
MY son’s introduced me to all these people. And I was very left-leaning – I still am, but I get that there needs to be a debate. I think it’s great that people are talking, and having real conversations.”
Gordon McNicol, 18, Glasgow
Gordon McNicol, right, and Samuel Dow
YOUNG men our age are, honestly, lost. They don’t know what they’re doing. They’ll go out drinking, partying, they’ll go and hit on girls – they don’t really have any meaning in life, whereas Peterson’s book is more about trying to find what makes you happy through responsibility, meaningfulness and finding something you truly enjoy.
Samuel Dow, 19, Glasgow
He’s very loving in the way that he speaks – he’s not spiteful. He’s also really calm and always collected in his arguments, and I think that’s a really good quality. I’ve personally not read his book, but I really want to.
Sam Johnstone, 23, Glasgow
Sam and Bob Johnstone
I THINK it was the Channel 4 interview that first got me introduced to him. I agree with the message to be honest – adopting responsibility, to find a kind of meaning in life. “Don’t look for happiness, look for meaning” - it makes a lot of sense to me.
Bob Johnstone, 67, Glasgow
MY son bought his book, was inspired by it, and felt it helped him. Kids have a lot of pressure these days and when we heard he was coming here we were sitting round the table one Friday night and decided we would come. Teenagers and young twentysomethings are in a difficult place compared to where we were. There’s a lot of social pressure, a lot of media pressure – it’s a different life to what I was brought up in. We can see the pressures the kids are under and Sam definitely responded to the message that was going out.
Prussia Snailham, 24, Glasgow
I’VE mostly watched him on YouTube, in different interviews with different people. I actually sent a song of mine to him over email and he responded, so he bumped my ticket up to VIP so I’m hopefully going to meet him and give him my music ... it’s very surreal and weird. I make music with my boyfriend Robbie and we sampled a piece of his lecture into one of our songs – so we just wanted him to hear it. I didn’t think he’d respond but he did.
Peter Rolland, 56, Glasgow
I basically watched all his videos and then I bought his book, so I just wanted to see him in person. I think men are going through a difficult time and I think he’s addressing that – and anyone who’s doing that I want to support.
Joel Kwok, 26, Glasgow
I found out about him on YouTube, and I found his message really inspiring. He’s a really inspiring figure to me – he inspired me to come here and further my studies actually.
Richard Lucas, Scottish Family Party
We’re here to give out leaflets because we think people who are interested in Jordan Peterson are very likely interested in the Scottish Family Party ... a lot of the issues he talks about, we would have similar views on them. They’re relevant to politics. So he would be on our wavelength – if he was in Scotland he’d be voting for us.
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