I don’t think it’s a coincidence that at this moment in history – when the frightening uncertainty of the world gets thrust in our faces every day – there has been a surge in popularity of an activity one might previously have dismissed as rather dull: tidying up. The Japanese queen of decluttering, Marie Kondo, led the way, emphasising the importance of making your domestic space a joyful one. Then came Jordan Peterson, bringing a mythic solemnity (and plenty of controversy) to the topic, but focusing nonetheless on some distinctly Kondo-esque advice: he urged readers to clean their bedrooms – that is, to impose a little order on the space immediately before them, instead of impotently chasing notions of “changing the world”. , a book by retired
