Words that are in a way related, but have such a huge difference in meaning. Let’s explore them.
Knowledge is valuable, of course. Knowledge brings growth. As we learn, we apply it, and as we apply it, we discover and create new things. And as we become more knowledgeable, we repeat this cycle. Ultimately, one thing is certain: there is no end to knowledge. Things we never knew before suddenly become standard, things we considered luxuries become essential, and dreams become reality. Yes, we grow with knowledge, and as we grow, we become more thirsty for it.
So, how sustainable is this cycle? No one can deny that there is serious danger on this front. We see that the growth generated by knowledge can threaten its own cycle and human existence. What is produced using knowledge often brings with it unintended consequences. Knowledge serves humanity as much as it serves personal ambitions. As human beings, we all know that what we do with our knowledge threatens our own existence and our world.
Why is this? Where are we going wrong? What if our learning-growth cycle were sustainable?
Ah, WISDOM — the beautiful word with the quiet power to change everything. We forget you. We forget that knowledge without you is a river flowing without dams. We forget that you are essential for sustainability. We forget because it suits us, because it’s difficult, and because your value accrues in the long run. Humanity, unable to see beyond the tip of its nose (I mean a lifetime or two), has ceased to value wisdom, especially in this (mis)information age, swept away by the intoxication of growth. We will pay the price dearly, but it’s human nature to undervalue the future and focus on the present. This is also a fact.
Knowledge without wisdom is not so much mastering the ring as refusing to take it off one’s finger. It’s simply strength without control, which is weakness.
So, can we all try to be wiser, even just a little? There’s a wise man inside all of us. Can we find him? Let’s find him. Let’s listen to him for a bit. Let’s apply the filter of “What would my wise voice do?” to our lives. It won’t be easy, but at least in our own little worlds, it will make us more sustainable. This is the voice of Papa Smurf in our Smurf village; let’s listen. Let our village grow healthy; we have no other villages.
Stay with love, stay smurfy!
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