Longevity: Wisdom’s Catalytic Crucible
Wisdom is the promise of longevity fulfilled. Wisdom comes not with age but with longevity that has fulfilled its promise. Wisdom does not happen by age and osmosis but through the catalytic action of curiosity, caring, and hard work.
Wisdom requires knowledge and understanding. Before the age of 40 we are often so very busy with job and family that we do not have time for the study and thinking that wisdom requires. Later when time is available we can begin the process of understanding our self and our world. Longevity provides the opportunity if we have the will, curiosity, and caring to accomplish the hard work.
Hi coberst,
I’ll buy into longevity bringing greater wisdom over time since I managed to live past forty, and I’ve never been more brilliant than I am today and any dumber than I was yesterday. Still, I think that it remains relative. True, the more life experience. the more to draw upon, but I am convinced that applied intelligence is our true wisdom at any age. You say curiosity, caring, and hard work. I agree. Curiosity, sensitive awareness, and seeing with as few pre-conceived ideas as possible is wisdom. Longevity may bring us ‘more’ wisdom by virtue of more experience, but wisdom begins the moment of birth. What we choose to focus on is the experiences that bring wisdom, and longevity simply provides us the opportunity for multiple focus points. We come into being, we mature, we return. We gather our wisdom as we go.
JT
“I’ll buy into longevity bringing greater wisdom over time since I managed to live past forty, and I’ve never been more brilliant than I am today and any dumber than I was yesterday.”
Seriously?
Seriously. The only problem with that, is that it remains true every single day. Of course, there is a chance that one day I may catch that carrot out there on the end of that stick…
JT
Tentative
Age brings nothing but a deteriorating body. Wisdom comes only to those few who pursue it vigorously.
tentative,
Unless you’re a sociopath I would assume that you have learned from past blunders and can frame why exactly those actions would be called blunders.
Are you saying that you’re the same man at 40+ that you were at fifteen?
coberst,
Well, I’m not sure what one pursues other than their interests of the moment. That said, one must be aware and attentive in each new experience. It is here that understanding and wisdom occurs. I go where my curiousity takes me, but I’m also careful to not look past the wisdom beneath my feet.
Adlerian,
You’re reading way too much into my statement. All I’m saying is that my learning is continuous, an on-going process where today’s understanding is greater than yesterday’s. Thus, I am always brighter (greater understanding) than I was the day before. The emphasis is process. Might this explain my name? Understanding constant grows, while knowing is conditional and impermanent.
JT
I see.
Wisdom has to do with insight into problems, situations, dynamics, and so forth. Once you have gained insight, or seeing inside of, a situation then you can be said to have gained insight into a problem.
So, the young salesman may know the latest schtick but it’s doubtful that he would be aware of the subtext of a meeting with a client that indicates success, failure, or a need to regroup, as has not had the multiple exposures.
Hi Ad,
Yes. If there is a lack of wisdom, it lies in confusing intellect for intelligence. Many fall into the trap of “knowing”, having read the book. Wisdom is gleaning the understanding and letting the “knowing” go. Thus, the young car salesman my know every last detail about the engineering of the car, (intellect) but fail to intelligently appraise what is necessary to satisfy the customer. I’ll always know what I need to know when I have need to know it, but I’ll trade knowing for intelligent understanding any time…
JT
Tentative
We are aware of many things but conscious of few things. We are conscious of many things but know only a few things. We know many things but understand only a few. Understanding is the pinnacle of comprehension. One cannot understand that which is not known. Understanding is meaning that has been created from knowledge.
tentative,
Thank goodness!
Coberst,
This is a good topic as the word “wisdom” gets tossed around a lot and I’m not sure people really know what they mean.
coberst,
And knowledge comes from our immediate experiencing. Our knowing is conditional and dynamic. Knowledge is always becoming past tense, it is understanding that remains constantly in the present - if we allow that.
JT