Two Ways to Wisdom

There are two ways to wisdom. One is thinking that you are onto something, and after some years realizing you were not; that you were an idiot. You have become, in a sense, wiser. The other way is thinking that you are onto something, and in later years realizing that you indeed were – and are - on to something, and understanding more fully why. You have become, in a different sense, wiser.

Unfortunately many become “wise” mostly in the first sense. Even, or perhaps especially, academics such as university professors.

Now that it perfectly normal and would usually be forgivable too, unless, of course – and this is too often the case – they wrote books before becoming “wise”. Now they have to write more books in which, if they’re humble enough, they apologize for the blunders in the first books. For many a student this comes too late; the damage is already done.

When I grow up, I would rather be wise in the second sense. Or if that's not probable, I at least ought to refrain from writing books. The collateral damage of writing a lowly blog is limited.