In 2018, David Gornoski of A Neighbor’s Choice spoke with Jordan Peterson during the release of 12 Rules for Life, moving beyond self-help into the deeper patterns shaping human behavior and culture.
The conversation centered on mimetic theory — the idea that human desire is largely imitated, not original. This imitation, when unconscious, fuels rivalry, conflict, and social breakdown.
Gornoski connected this to scapegoating and sacrificial violence: how societies often restore order by uniting against a chosen victim. Rather than treating this as ancient history, the dialogue framed it as a continuing dynamic in modern politics and media.
A key focus was Christianity’s unique role in exposing this cycle — not by justifying sacrifice, but by revealing and undermining it at its root.
Peterson added a psychological perspective on how individuals get swept into collective emotion, where imitation turns into outrage and dehumanization, emphasizing the need for personal responsibility and resistance to crowd conformity.
At the center of the discussion is an alternative path: the imitation of Christ — a model rooted in truth, self-giving, and love rather than rivalry or domination.
The result is a framework that connects psychology, theology, and culture to better understand both individual responsibility and modern social tension.
