My blog title is borrowed from a recent PS article that caught my interest. Wealth has always been a metric for Power. It’s very hard to imagine that Big Tech billionaires could – let alone would – be considered a metric for wisdom. Nevertheless, the quote below suggests differently.
“In an America where wealth has increasingly become the primary source of social status, billionaires are viewed as entrepreneurial geniuses who exhibit unique levels of creativity, courage, foresight, and expertise on a wide range of topics. Yet it should be obvious that wealth is a poor metric for wisdom.”
Quote from a Project Syndicate article by economist Daron Acemogle
Possibly, the ancient notion that Knowledge equals Power might suggest that one or both might be a road to Wisdom. My 2019 blog, The 3 roads to Wisdom, indeed argued the very same. However, my 2021 blog, The 3 roads to Wisdom (2), contradicts that notion and quotes Confucius:
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
A quote from the Chinese philosopher Confucius (c. 551 – c. 479 BCE)
There are some articles on the quote above, like What did Confucius mean by reflection and imitation? Source: “People try to imitate the actions of people of knowledge, in hope to understand what the wise know.”
In my view, the first (“reflection”) is about introspection. The third (“experience”) is about life-altering events (eg, burnout and depression). The second (“imitation”) is weird because imitation seldom results into knowledge – let alone wisdom. Quite often imitation involves ridicule.
In my view, wealth often results into arrogance (eg, f*** you money). Perhaps, even ignorance is more likely to result into (some kind of) wisdom (eg, 1979 film Being There).
Actually, I doubt that we respect wisdom nowadays. We respect detailed knowledge (eg, specialists), money, and wealth. Perhaps, we confuse respect with wisdom. Moreover, the term wise guy is mostly an insult.
What would be a metric for wisdom anyway? Age, silence, words of wisdom?
Wise Guy (1998) by Joe Pesci
lyrics, video, Wiki-album+song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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