Share Your Wisdom

Throughout my life, I've aquired wisdom that most people apparently haven't. I think it's likely that almost everyone here will be able to relate. It sometimes takes years before I happen to stumble upon a thought, or a bad experience before I have a realization, or careful philosophising before I logically deduce a surprising truth.

Mention any number of pieces of 'wisdom' that you've acquired, realizations you've had about the way to live, the way to think, etc. along with why you think it's true. I would personally love to hear these things from others, as my own understanding might be broadened if I see their point. Please refrain from cliche phrases, like "It's better to teach a man to fish ..." I'm not looking for clever sounding, cryptic quotes or paradoxes that sound like they've come from a Bhuddist monk. I'm looking for practical information, truths about the world that you think most people haven't considered.

I can imagine this thread turning out very successful and immensely beneficial, or very ignored. But I'll try it anyway. I thought of the idea while reading the thread by the 15 year old who felt he had the world figured out. I searched this forum and found some similar threads, but not exactly the same. A similar one from last month asked for wisdom, but it seemed the more "cliche phrases" type of wisdom.

I'll do one myself, a more obvious one which I think most people realize, but it's important enough to mention:
It is impossible to 'know' anything for certain. There is almost always a chance that you're wrong about anything. I might agree with Descartes', "I think; therefore, I am". The only thing I know for sure is that I exist. Not necessarily my body, but my mind, at least while I'm thinking, because there has to be an 'I' having the thought. I also think it's likely that, following from this, I'm certain that it seems like I'm experiencing a certain emotion. I'm certain that it seems to the 'I' that exists that I have senses and that there's an outside world.
I have better ones in mind, knowledge that I don't think most people have, and I'll share if other people decide to. If this thread is only interesting to me, I don't see the point.

all stereotypes are true

all things are objectively subjective

the word 'natural' shouldn't be used in day-to-day conversation ever

no one will ever have a good enough reason to be angry at someone else

strive to perfection, but never be upset that you're not there

you are a collection of everything you've ever seen heard smelled tasted felt and been told about. there is no you, only others in you.

s'all I've got. maybe this will be a good thread.

Never ever save the best for last. Some unforeseen circumstance might pop up that prevents you from ever getting to enjoy the best.

Always enjoy the best while you have a chance.

People are psychologically very similar to one another, in ways that would probably surprise most. Chances are, there are some specific deep-seeded issues you constantly face that you consider unique and personal, but which many people, if not the majority, suffer from as well.


I figured this out during a stay at a spiritual healing centre in Costa Rica, for 3 months and then 2. (There were spiritual beliefs being advocated which I no longer believe in, but that point isn’t relevant to the topic.) Every day was spent analyzing our feelings, going deeper into them, and sharing them as a group. Everyone experienced surprise in response to how similar they realized other people are to them. People of different genders, nationalities, races, backgrounds, ages, people with entirely different and non-relatable personalities, all tended to suffer from the same general issues. I would not have believed before that everyone could have such similar problems. Someone would describe something which I could relate to so well, so specifically, I could have been hearing myself explain it. As far as I knew before going there, I was the only one who did. I did not like this, as I began to feel as though my individuality was dissipating. There were probably about 50 people in total during the 5 months I stayed there.

Don't get me wrong. I found that what I'm saying was not true for all issues. I still came across a number of seemingly unique psychological conditions. I'm just saying that there are a lot of specific conditions which many of us consider unique to ourselves, or at least rare among others, that a surprisingly large portion of people have.

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Originally Posted by no-Name

all stereotypes are true

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I find your ambiguity to be the pinnacle of sloth.

Correction: Most stereotypes are empirically true in a general sense, but cannot be applied to individuals. That, and the fact that most of them are true in many cases can fool some into thinking they are true for false reasons. The stereotype "black people love fried chicken" implies that black people have an innate love for fried chicken. The actual reason could be that fried chicken chain stores are placed in lower-income areas and are marketed toward families. Since blacks are statistically poorer than whites, they would have much more exposure to fried chicken and more incentive to feed their families with it because it's cheap and quick. In conclusion, stereotypes are useless when it comes to classifying individuals, but are an apt tool for classifying the unintelligent who actually do apply them to individuals.

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Originally Posted by Black_Eagle

I find your ambiguity to be the pinnacle of sloth.

Correction: Most stereotypes are empirically true in a general sense, but cannot be applied to individuals. That, and the fact that most of them are true in many cases can fool some into thinking they are true for false reasons. The stereotype "black people love fried chicken" implies that black people have an innate love for fried chicken. The actual reason could be that fried chicken chain stores are placed in lower-income areas and are marketed toward families. Since blacks are statistically poorer than whites, they would have much more exposure to fried chicken and more incentive to feed their families with it because it's cheap and quick. In conclusion, stereotypes are useless when it comes to classifying individuals, but are an apt tool for classifying the unintelligent who actually do apply them to individuals.

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i fucking love you

A common myth is that different cultures, especially in different time periods, have different moral values, but this isn't true. In most cases, if not all, a culture which seems to have a different system of morality from your own really only holds different beliefs. In other words, they believe different facts are true about the world than you do. For example, if you genuinely believed that witches existed, you would probably want them burned to death too. If you honestly thought women were much less intelligent than men and incapable of being educated, you would probably consider then inferior to men too.

(In some cases, though, certain 'moral' systems are implanted in us by our surroundings, what we're used to, what we're told is right, etc. Ex: some people are completely fine with killing animals and putting them through pain while doing so because they're used to it. But I think what I said above still applies to a surprising number of cases.)

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

Never ever save the best for last. Some unforeseen circumstance might pop up that prevents you from ever getting to enjoy the best.

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Although this thread might already be dead, I'm glad for it because of this. I've started to realize the truth of this one lately, but my realization process has been accelerated now. I don't think it's true in all cases, but I've noticed more and more lately that, when I try to save something for later that I really want now, by the time I let myself have it I don't want it as badly, or something happens to lessen the experience.

I agree with some of No-name's, but not all, but the statements made me think a lot.

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Originally Posted by Dianeva

but the statements made me think a lot.

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then they are good statements

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

Never ever save the best for last. Some unforeseen circumstance might pop up that prevents you from ever getting to enjoy the best.

Always enjoy the best while you have a chance.

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That was actually pretty good advice. Thanks. :P

You shouldn't take life too seriously, it's not like you're gonna make it out alive anyway.

Take the time to respect yourself, because A) if you don't no one else can do it for you and B) it's the best thing you can do for those that matter the most to you.

listen to what other people have to say, just listen

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dianeva

It is impossible to 'know' anything for certain. There is almost always a chance that you're wrong about anything.

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I agree for most things in life, except there is a way, I think, to know something with absolute certainty and that is mathematical proof. For instance, I am certain that the Pythagorean theorem is true.

In a good relationship, your love for eachother should be greater than your need for eachother. There is a very true differnce between the two feelings, but at times it can be hard to recognize, and even harder to stick to.

The best wisdom is your own. Taking wisdom from others isn't bad, but it will never be quite as good as the wisdom that you, yourself, come across in everyday life.

Some things I picked up from Carlos Castaneda's books. Peaceful Warrior.

Spoiler for Wisdom of a Peaceful Warrior:

"A warrior relaxes and abandons himself: he fears nothing. Only then will the powers that guide human beings open the road for a warrior and aid him. Only then."

"When one has nothing to lose, one becomes courageous. We are timid only when there is something we can still cling to."

"Dwelling upon the self too much produces a terrible fatigue. A man in that position is deaf and blind to everything else. The fatigue, itself, makes him cease to see the marvels all around him."

"The most effective way to live is as a warrior. A warrior may worry and think before making a decision, but once he makes it, he goes on his way; free from worries or thoughts. There will be a million other decisions still awaiting him. That is the warrior’s way."

"A warrior thinks of his death when things become unclear. The idea of death is the only thing that tempers our spirit."

"As long as a man feels that he is the most important thing in the world, he cannot appreciate the world around him. He is like a horse with blinders; all he sees is himself and he is apart from everything else."

The most important piece of wisdom I think I've ever come across is this, from a Buddhism book I read about 2 months ago:

"The World is filled with enemies, those who find fault with us in varying degress. In order to avoid the harm caused, to oneself and others, by responding in anger, there are two solutions. One can destroy all the enemies, or one can practice patience."


I actually have a composition book with wisdom quotes that I try to look at everyday, because the information is so beneficial.

Good thread.

It should not be assumed that a message is true or any more meaningful because it's short, seemingly paradoxical, or metaphoric. Psychologically we're more likely to pay special attention to messages that have these qualities, and to assume there must be truth in them. Such devices are useful if you're trying to influence the masses, but you should personally aim not to be affected by them, just as you should aim not to be affected by political rhetoric.

The real reason people want wealth or high status has little to do with the material possessions it gives them. The desire, for most people, is almost completely for the love/respect they feel they'll get from others as a result of their high status, expensive houses, etc. Once this fact is realized, it becomes obvious that such aims are rediculous, and one is freed from the expectations of society, from the drive to be wealthy and achieve a high status, and that freedom can be incredible.

Use condoms.

Babies suck.

If you don't do stuff, then stuff will not happen to you.