Psychologist's Explanation Why 'Right Not to Be Offended' Is Absurd Silences Media Host
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, a clinical psychologist and University of Toronto professor, takes a methodical and calculated approach to debates with adversaries who often times become flustered by his stoic demeanor.
Peterson, who has been a notable crusader for the protection of free speech in Canada, sat down with Channel 4 News host Cathy Newman to discuss his rise to prominence after opposing Canada’s controversial law that “amends the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.”
“Why should your right to freedom of speech trump a trans person’s right not to be offended?” Newman asked the University of Toronto professor of psychology, The Washington Times reported.
“Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive,” Peterson stated. “I mean, look at the conversation we’re having right now.
“You’re certainly willing to risk offending me in the pursuit of truth. Why should you have the right to do that? It’s been rather uncomfortable.”
Peterson continued: “You’re doing what you should do, which is digging a bit to see what the hell is going on. And that is what you should do. But you’re exercising your freedom of speech to certainly risk offending me, and that’s fine.
“More power to you, as far as I’m concerned,” he added.
Peterson’s statement stumped Newman who paused to collect her thoughts and formulate a response.
“Ha, gotcha,” Peterson joked.
“You have got me. You have got me,” the Channel 4 host responded. “I’m trying to work that through my head. It took awhile. It took awhile. It took awhile.”
The moment quickly went viral, prompting Twitter users to create memes poking fun at Newman’s embarrassing moment as well as her constant attempts to straw man many of Peterson’s statements.
As reported by Breitbart News, Channel 4 editor Ben de Pear claimed that “security experts” needed to be called in after Newman supposedly faced “vicious misogynistic abuse” as a result of her gaffe.
Peterson didn’t remain silent, instead he Newman if she would play the victim card amid reports of the alleged backlash she faced.
“Now my attempts to moderate the discussion surrounding the channel 4 interview are being used as proof that she is a victim,” Peterson wrote Sunday. “Is this how you want this to go, Cathy @cathynewman? Are you going to stand forth as a victim?”
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