On Wisdom

Knowledge is power.  But what about wisdom?  Is it possible to truly build a society on top of knowledge?  What happens when you pull wisdom, replacing it with facts and trivia?  You create a mansion built on the sand, that’s what.  I have had the opportunity to meet with many brilliant individuals, many of whom could, with quickness and accuracy, solve some of the most difficult math and science problems facing out world today.  But many of those same individuals have lacked the discernment to understand that their own home was crashing under them.  Everything was coming down; all they knew became worthless.

Divorce, crime, and debt are prevalent in American society, a collection of people who pride themselves in their accomplishments, in being a super-power.  Over the past century our knowledge has doubled, and doubled again.  We can find books on any subject, get a PhD in virtually any subject.  But our homes are broken.  How long can society last on this beach of shifting sand?  Instead of building a foundation, we are racing to see who can build the tallest, most magnificent building.  But the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

And while I don’t dare argue for even a second that knowledge is unimportant, it is wisdom that holds a society, a home together.  Regardless of your opinion on groups like the Amish, it is very difficult to argue that they are not a stable people (no they are not perfect, far from it).  An object of our mockery (be it in fun or in seriousness), the group has one of the most stable foundations I have encountered.  When tragedy strikes, the people know how to respond.  That is wisdom.  No, you will not find the latest Apple gadget, amazing vehicles or scientific theories coming from the Amish.  But when society all around them is coming crashing down, you will see a group that is standing firm.

But that is not to say that it is impossible, or even improbably to attain both wisdom and knowledge.  But if we want our knowledge to be worthwhile, it must be built upon a foundation of wisdom.  Where there is wisdom, there is the power to gain knowledge and understanding.  Anything else is just a chasing of the wind.