Wisdom and Actions are Related

Information abounds today. There is a definite increase in knowledge out there. Never has so much information and so many opinions been possible.

Information may have increased, knowledge may have increased, but it is not always the case that wisdom has increased along with the increased information and knowledge.

Wisdom entails making judgements about the knowledge gained on any subject or matter. Wisdom is the manifestation of knowledge in word, or deed. We show wisdom in actions that are taken and words that are spoken or written.

In our fast-paced world, we often decide on the fly, without careful consideration of the underlying knowledge.

I remember the old cliche “Judge no one without walking a mile in their shoes first.” We are quick to judge, to label people and place them in a box, and think we have acted wisely.

We hear about what people have done, but not what they have been through. They may have an excellent reason for doing something that seems quite illogical and silly to us who witness their action from the outside.

The action we witness as an output could have profound reasons behind it, and the person may indeed act from a base of sound reasoning. A reasoning that we will not understand unless we dig deeper and reason with the person. We cannot rush wisdom. Like a fine wine, it takes time to manifest.

The increase in information and the Twitter sphere has literally made ‘twits’ of most of us. And what is a twit? I hear you ask. Well Collins dictionary defines it as such:

‘If you call someone a twit, you are insulting them and saying that they are silly or stupid.

[British, informal, disapproval]

Synonyms: fool, idiot, jerk [slang, mainly US, Canadian]’

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/twit

How many of us take the time to ask the person we have made a snap judgement about why they are like they are? Why they did what they did?

How many show love and understanding rather than just throwing slogans out at people with little thought?

I am not saying every action of every person is honourable or wise. Far from it, all I am saying is that a deeper understanding is necessary for proper judgement.

The over stimulation and pace of life is making us less intelligent and more easily deceived. Very few of us take the time to delve deeply into a subject and analyse and question it before making a judgement.

We live by slogans floating on the top of deep pools of knowledge and we grab the slogan rather than immersing ourselves in the pool. Wisdom and sound judgement call for patience and contemplation.

I recently saw a video of some people being asked about who the two opposing forces in the American Civil War were. The ignorance on display astounded me. Most people didn’t even know what the questioner was talking about, and these were US citizens, college aged people?

Imagine not even having a clue about your own country’s history? Is this where we are? Unfortunately, yes, fast food and TV, sitcoms and reality TV, social media and every other thoughtless distraction has pulverised the minds of the average person to mush.

Wisdom takes time and careful analysis and contemplation. The actions we take, the decisions we make, reveal our wisdom or lack thereof.

We are living in an age where questioning and seeking a deeper understanding of something can get you labelled as a conspiracy theorist, so you better be careful what you question. Certain subjects we cannot question, and that is sad. I say we should be able to question anything and everything.

The greatest foolishness is the statement ‘The science is settled.’ I think a wiser saying would be ‘The science is never settled.’ There are always questions and new discoveries. We gain new knowledge and destroy old assumptions. Successful people are those that inquire, that innovate and question. Those that are forever inquisitive.

The science of today quickly fades into the background when more valid and robust data and new thinking and technologies come to the fore.

We cannot contemplate and ponder absolutely everything, because we just don’t have the time. But that for which we have a passion, we should contemplate and question.

The greatest breakthroughs in science have come from those who think differently, who question the status quo and gain new insights while doing so.

Wisdom comes from gaining knowledge, questioning and contemplating, not necessarily in that order. Action based on the wisdom gained is the manifestation of that wisdom in real life. Many people have gained knowledge and wisdom but have never applied their wisdom, and the world is poorer for that. Wisdom not put into action is wisdom wasted, and is a tremendous loss to the world.

I understand many people may lack confidence or the financial means to make their wisdom manifest in physical life, and probably the greatest enemy of wisdom is fear. Fear of failure, that is why few make it to the top. One thing most successful people have in common is that they see failure as a stepping stone. They show resilience, and wisdom lies cloaked in resilience and perseverance.

Wisdom is in the action, and action reveals wisdom.