“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”
Interesting thread. I’ve thought for quite some time that, because of the internet, there is much more access to information, and therefore knowledge (provided the info is accurate). But …not necessarily more wisdom. If anything, I think there is less wisdom. Wisdom requires processing information and applying it to experiences. I’m not one of those “Get off my lawn” guys but I do think the younger generation has issues with this. I know they know more stuff than we did at their age. The volume of info they receive is staggering. Not sure they process and apply it as well and the volume may be the culprit. Too many distractions.
Agreed,also… this is one of the important characteristics of a wise person, knowing when to say something, or (maybe) not saying it at all !!
In addition, I believe that it is also part of wisdom to know what to say (out of the many things you know you can say about the same topic) and how to say what you have to say !!
One of analogies I use in explaining this principle is to compare saying the truth with taking medicine which in its original state (like plain truth) is bitter taste and not nice to the mouth (medicine) or to the ear (plain truth)It could be wise to wrap the “bitter medicine” with nice taste coating (sugar, fruit flavor,…) to enable the person to swallow the medicine and get it down the throat to the stomach where the sugar coating dissolves and the bitter “curing” ingredients of the medicine take their effect. Similarly,a wise person should know “what” to say depending on the other side and its acceptance/rejection of what is being said. It also means choosing the right timing and circumstances where and when to say what you have to say, and it also depends on “how” you say what you have to say … to get past the reluctance/denial/rejection stage of dealing with the truth !