What makes a person wise? Not every old person is wise, young people can be wise. So what makes a person wise?
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Insight into the human condition makes you wise. This is something some people have and others do not. It’s not something that can be acquired IMHO. A lot of people live their entire lives without it. If there is such a thing as multiple intelligences, this is surely one of them.
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I think it is about not being mentally lazy. daily meditation and writing helps as well as actively thinking yourself out of times when you feel mentally fuzzy instead of staying in that state out of habit. it takes effort I think
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what do you mean by that?
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Like when people say things that are really insightful or ring true. A really good poet for example might do that. Sometimes kids do it, make an observation that is really insightful. I wish I could think of an example.
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Lots o info in da head. Nah, prolly that human condition thing, like agent101g said.
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For me personally, also making the most out of the experiences that come your way and especially, being proactive is very wise.
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@agent101g so then is wisdom purely observational or is it something more? Children are known for observation, pointing out how something really is. Could that be wisdom? Being able to see the truth in things? Can wisdom also be deeper? Is there wisdom that can only be found by looking deeper rather than just observing. Say emotional wisdom. Which comes to the question are there different types of wisdom?
@anon90843118 So then wisdom can also be seen in how we act in our daily lives? Does that mean it doesn’t have to be something profound? Or can simply be how and when we choose to act upon something? Or even our mindset?
@BrianTex But cant wisdom also be lots of info in the head? You need info to act upon and to decide things. Certain decisions seem to be wiser than others. Cant a wise person also be intellectual?
To you all I’m sorry for all the questions. Feeling a bit philosophical right now I guess.
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Taking risks. Committing yourself to those risks and riding it out til the end.
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@77nick77 Is there ever a time where it is foolish to take a risk? Or when commitment turns into foolishness? For you are now simply blindly doing something for no reason or purpose other than you said you would. Is there wisdom in maybe knowing which risks to take? Also knowing when you should back out of something because it would hurt you more if you didnt?
Having made enough mistakes to learn from and having actually learned from them. Beware of people who have never failed at something, they’re dangerous to be around.
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yea I think this is a good way to say it.
i think it is through experience that we truly get some wisdom, cos that involves our emotional centres. so then we pay attention, learn and remember better. but knowledge via books etc also helps in addition, it enriches and solidifies, clarifies experiences…kinda thing?? lol
and writing to put things in our own words and consolidate !
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@anon82948922 Can wisdom also be learning from other people’s mistakes? Can you learn from the mistakes of strangers? People who you dont know but you’ve seen their mistakes? Dangerous because they’re toxic? Are they the ones who believe nothing is their fault?
@anon90843118 Can you only gain wisdom through experience? It denotes that age = wisdom. Can young people also be wise? If so is it because they have experienced more than others their age or have they simply paid more attention to their experiences then others their age? Knowledge sorts our experiences so that we can learn from them? Writing in our own words translates our experiences. Puts them in a perspective that we can understand and learn?
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Smart people can. Dumb ones, not so much.
Because they’re untested. The person you want beside you when you’re in a bad spot is someone who has had crap go sideways on them and can cope because they’ve learned how the hard way. I’ve been partnered with people who were completely shielded by their parents until adulthood and they are feckin’ useless in an emergency. One of them nearly got me killed when he panicked.
it is a good question. does someone who has had more of a variety of experiences in life compared to someone who has had less variety of experiences in life generally have less wisdom? if both are same age. ofcourse yea how much you pay attention will make a difference but is there something else that will make a difference?
maybe there is only so much you can fundamentally experience, and like you said, you can learn from others behaviours, even through tv and stuff…
Of course. I’m not going to walk up to some big guy and punch him. I’m not going where there’s drugs around. But I will go out everyday and face the situations that arise and face crazy situations.
At age 59 I get around pretty well but I am also more prudent than when I was in my twenties and thirties.
Hell, in my twenties I went into the city with one of the highest murder rates in California. Every day. And I didn’t think it was s big deal. I picked up strangers and I drove all over hell and back for drugs. Sometimes I got nothing and sometimes it ended really badly but I was back the next day.
I took a risk and joined AA, I got clean and committed myself to going to meetings. I became an AA fanatic and tried to help any alcoholic I ran into in daily life. Fanatic is kind of a strong word, I just really believed in AA, CA and NA and worked the program and lived many years following the program and literally living by their principles.
30 years later and a 1000 meetings later I’m still clean. But man, I’ve had more than 25 jobs,; been the new guy 25 times and lasted three or four years at some jobs, excelled at some, made friends occasionally. I count that as a risk.
Enrolled myself in college. These are the risks I’ve taken. It takes quite a bit of commitment to work four years at a job. I’ve failed at many jobs, hell, I’ve literally failed at school sometimes. I didn’t want to write this much but I showed what you asked. Like I said, I’m more prudent now but like an old housemate said, “It takes courage just to go out of your house everyday”. IDK, maybe I beat this subject to death. But I agree with your points.
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I understand that Wisdom is love married to knowledge.
I am a firm believer in the expression, “adversity builds character.” Part of that “character,” imo, is wisdom. As @anon82948922 was saying, a person who has never battled adversity is likely to have less wisdom than a person who has been to hell and back, perhaps many trips to hell and back. Of course, learning from your mistakes is key, as well and, I would say, a sign of wisdom in itself.
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failure makes a person wise. some just do it better than others
Well said @anon82948922 @freakonaleash
What makes you wise is not simply thinking of how to do something but by actually getting off your duff and doing it.
My take.
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