What Prevents Wisdom From Blossoming?

By Author: Chaitanya Kumari
Total Articles: 256
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When the sense of judgment of an individual is at its best, it can be said that they possess wisdom. Several social, personal, and cultural factors determine the extent to which wisdom has developed in a human being. While many people strive to develop wisdom, not all succeed.

There can be many external and internal parameters that hinder a person from inculcating wisdom. Extensive studies carried out in the areas of psychology and social sciences have identified some crucial aspects that seriously impact the development of wisdom. 

Wisdom is a thing that cannot be gained by leading a life of solitude. It is social interactions that are helpful in this context. It’s through these interactions that people develop awareness about the different viewpoints of diverse individuals. 

Healthy exchange of ideas and opinions contributes to wisdom in a big way. But when one is unable to socialize with experienced or wise people, it leads to depletion of their sense of judgment. When a person stays away from environments conducive to expanding knowledge, their wisdom can’t develop, either.

Cultural ...
... and social conditions are pivotal, as well. These aspects either contribute to or restrict the development of wisdom in people. Let us take repressive societies that do not encourage any form of questioning. Here, usually, there is no intellectual growth, and thus people remain distant from wisdom. The same is applicable even to environments where unhealthy competition is encouraged among people. Such an ambiance is always against constructive discussions, which are important for promoting wisdom.

In many instances, it has been observed that a person obtains wisdom when they are exposed to different experiences in life. These include negative and positive experiences. Later, people have a chance to analyze them and learn valuable lessons, which boosts wisdom. 

But when people are kept away from all forms of unpleasant circumstances and someone else handles their issues, their wisdom is impaired. As an example, we can mention children who are brought up in an overprotective way by their parents and elders. 

We come across people who are rigid and are not open to new ideas and experiences. Even their emotional intelligence is quite low. These profiles, normally, lag behind in terms of making decisions backed by wisdom. IIndividuals who lack self-confidence fall into this category.

Research points out that the growth of wisdom is seriously impeded in egoistic and self-centered people. These individuals have their own definition of ‘status,’ which they keep defending with illogical and erroneous arguments. That is their primary focus in life. Consequently, their faculty of thinking wisely and arriving at appropriate decisions declines. If a person is committed to developing wisdom, it is indispensable that they discard the ego-based outlook towards life. 

When younger individuals don’t have the guidance of mentors, they might be unable to learn about facing complex situations and resolving them. Usually, their sense of judgment cannot develop. This has become a striking problem in this age of nuclear families; children are deprived of the experience of elders like grandparents.   

When children and teenagers are not provided good educational opportunities, their wisdom might not develop up to the required level. Younger individuals who are brought up in an environment that is against logical thinking are also bogged down by this issue. 

Societies and individuals are advised to make note of all the above aspects. They are required to enable an ambience where there are no impediments to the growth of wisdom. 

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