The Philosophers’ Mail is an interesting initiative: an attempt to make the arcane relevant to contemporary life. In this piece, they translate the slippery concept of ‘wisdom’ into everyday language.
What is wisdom and who can be counted as wise? Well, it suggests the wise:
- are realistic about how challenging life can be, and therefore develop resilience
- appreciate the beauty the world throws up every now and then
- understand that humans are not always rational (and so we should be able to laugh at ourselves)
- know the difference between blurting out whatever comes to mind vs being diplomatic
- don’t waste time yearning after ‘what might have been’ and realise that sometimes success is just a matter of good luck
- realise that most hurt is not intentional, and therefore seek to understand before being understood
- seek calm in the midst of the storm of life.