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TRUE WISDOM
Marian Baltazar
Class of 1980, University of the Philippines College of Manila
AB Political Science
Who among us doesn’t want to have true wisdom? We all would like to possess and gain true wisdom but it’s
not that easy to achieve it. We cannot equate wisdom with intelligence although everybody also value
intelligence. This is because everybody wants to be smart too. Having intelligence is showing mental keenness
and book knowledge. It can also be considered a kind of reasoning, the ability to learn and this is actually what
makes intelligence an innate character. It is the amount of knowledge that a person has.
As a matter of fact, we can similarly say that intelligence correlates to being a witty person. When we talk of
wisdom, it is the knowledge that is learned, acquired and gained which is accumulated over a lifetime.
Therefore, wisdom according to cognitive scientists termed it like “crystallized intelligence” which definitely
improves as a person ages. On the other hand, scientists called intelligence as “fluid intelligence” which
decreases or fluctuates, meaning it is somewhat reduced during adulthood.
True wisdom definitely is valued like beauty. We want to do sustain and preserve it as long as we could hold on
to it. But when it fades, we tend to become fools. How then can we define wisdom after all? Wisdom comes
from knowledge and experience. I believe that wisdom is being a rational person. We have to continually
acquire knowledge and make use of it in order for us to come up with better results each time.
Having true wisdom is being able to understand all sides of an issue without being biased. That is, you don’t let
emotional or personal feelings come your way. Then, you are being objective in this way and you will see things
in a different perspective. Wisdom is being open-minded, finding empathy and also realizing the fact that we
all have our flaws and that we have our own life stories which influences our actions. True wisdom means you
realize that you could also go wrong and we are prone to committing mistakes.
Yes, being wise means knowing that it’s impossible for us to know everything. Recognizing your errors lead you
to greater wisdom. We build our reputation when we accept our mistakes so that our advices can be trusted by
the people around us. When we face reality and learn to accept our mistakes, we are exercising true wisdom.
Being wise is to know that life has its unexpected turns. As Cicero said, “Any man is liable to err; only a fool
persists in error.”
Wisdom has too many meanings and can mean not only a thousand and one but so much more. We cannot
base wisdom through knowledge. Wisdom has been known to be able to have the ability to know the
distinction of good and evil. It means to combine knowledge with our correct assessment of the facts and
situations that surround us. So then if anyone wants to have wisdom, he may acquire it in many and different
ways. Let it be seen and manifest in our various field of knowledge and activity. All these positive qualities
make a person have true wisdom, wouldn’t you want to acquire it?
Questions for discussion:
1. How can you differentiate wisdom from intelligence? Explain your answer.
2. Is wisdom acquired intelligence? Why or why not?
3. How would you define true wisdom?
4. Is being wise, being intelligent too? Why or why not?
5. Would it be wiser if we subject ourselves to corrections of our errors or mistakes? Why or why not?