What Is, What Should Be

In our introductory lecture, we explore two fundamental ways of perceiving the world: the materialist view of what the world is made of versus the action-oriented view of how to act in the world, arguing that the latter is primary since perception itself requires action and is always directed toward goals. Dr. Peterson explains how our experience is structured as a cybernetic frame moving from "what is" to "what should be," which forms the basis of all stories and is validated by our emotional systems that signal progress toward or deviation from our aims. The lecture concludes by emphasizing that finding the proper aim—one that sustains us individually and socially while promoting growth—is essential, as this alignment produces the deep sense of meaning that guides human development and flourishing.