In various cultures, the owl is revered as a symbol of wisdom. This association stems from its connection to Athena, the Greek goddess of knowledge, and its appearances in Aesop’s fables. More recently, the owl has made its mark in A.A. Milne’s beloved “Winnie the Pooh.” While it may seem like an odd choice to seek wisdom from an owl, especially when trying to determine the number of licks required to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop, it’s worth considering the owl’s longstanding reputation as a wise creature. However, be prepared to lose your Tootsie Pop in the pursuit of knowledge.
But who can we turn to for wisdom in the human world? In high school, I was told that beer makes you smart! They claim it’s proven because they made Bud wiser. In a study by Robert Sternberg of Yale, participants were asked to nominate individuals they considered wise. The average age of the nominees was around 55 or 60 years old. If you ask people, they’ll name old-timers like Gandhi, Socrates, the Pope, and so on. Clearly, the public believes that with age comes wisdom. Well, I’m 51, so I must be nearing the age where I’m wise. Yeah, right!
Is age a prerequisite for wisdom? As I age, I’m starting to doubt that. We all know a few elderly people who lack wisdom. While it’s true that people can experience their peak brainpower in old age, the brain does shrink slightly with age, resulting in an average decline in cognitive function. This decline can result in dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Lately, I’ve been engrossed in a yearlong supervisor training course, which requires me to read numerous books for work. One book that stands out is “Smart to Wise” by Prasad Kaipa and Navi Radio. In it, they draw a fascinating analogy between smartness and a wild horse. They explain that while riding a wild horse can be exhilarating, it can also be dangerous and lead to being thrown off. To harness the power of intelligence for the long term, they emphasize the importance of wisdom. Wisdom, they argue, provides ethical clarity and a sense of purpose. I find this concept intriguing and would love to explore its meaning in more depth.
As I grow older, I find myself increasingly perplexed and less knowledgeable. The more I read, the less informed I feel. Therefore, the concepts of age and wisdom become meaningless. As I age, I become progressively less intelligent. It was like riding my bike to work yesterday when even cars had issues. While it wasn’t wise, I enjoyed the ride and avoided the problem mentioned in the YouTube video https://youtu.be/p72ltDXfz_k?si=Keg5O1suxCv_7l6R.
This entire discussion began because I rode my bike to work and was so delighted. However, was it wise? I know it’s 18 miles one way, but it provides me with time to ride and think—time to reduce stress and appreciate how fortunate I am to be able to ride when all those people pass me in their cars, seemingly stressed out and unable to make any progress.
So, does age bring wisdom? I say no. Experience brings wisdom; based on that, I am on a solid path to gaining wisdom daily. However, I am still uncertain whether I will ever be considered wise.
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