Wide knowledge cannot tolerate shallow, and a person who has been brought to realization of the previously unknown is fooling himself when he says he is "going back to the way it was". Understanding tints our perception, and not always for the good.
I believe it is better to make others understand, rather than remember - to me, intelligence is greater than memory. Anyone can use their head to store useless facts, not many use it to solve problems.
On the back of that, it's important to understand that you can die of foolishness if you reason about any particular thing too much. Look around you, and you will be able to see that it is indeed possible to be both well-read and completely ignorant at the same time. Wise men commonly die insane whilst trying to balance the world around them, and I have seen fools choke to death on advice - good and bad.
Epictetus tells us that the most important rule for living is knowing how to bear all things, both horrible and wonderful, in equal measure. I think this is only half-wisdom. To be tolerant of foolishness, much patience is required - and sometimes we suffer most from those we most depend upon. The wise never get along with fools.
I am learning to parcel out my life more wisely, and it is a worthy skill to learn. Time-wasters have usurped hours from me that I will never get back, and I have made choices that resulted in still more wasted time out of my life. But this has made me more aware of the "now" I am in, what I am doing and who I am spending it with. Also, you should realize that occasionally slowing your pace to a stop for a will be the best use of your time. Inactivity doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment