http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/books/review/Holt-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22a%20word%20about%20the%20wise%22&st=cse
(If the diagram is too small, click on the image for a larger view)
This blog consists of four clearly delineated parts:
- Part 1 contains the original diagram.
- Part 2 contains the hot link to read the original article.
- Part 3 consists of my revised diagram.
- and Part 4 discusses how much I enjoyed both the author's approach and my own creative modifications.
Hopefully sadder and wiser, in that order,
Sparky
6 comments:
Here i am. Having read about Elias, I am filled with questions.
But stick to today' blog.Laughs--No, Hip Waders
Very True, (and How does that work?) Older, Not to women
Gives advice, Never! I'm Learning
Patti
Can you see the wisdom in the wind?
Look at wisdom and you will see life.
Lemons are for the wise men who make lemon aid?
Thanks for I!m LoL
Chago
Dear Patty,
Thank you very much for your sweet note. I am in complete accordance with both your comments and your suggestions. Thank you for being in my life.
Sparky
Dear Chago,
Thank you for your subtle comments. I always enjoy it when you share with me images from the natural world as I know these images help keep you grounded. I'm sure the freeze in Florida will not seriously damage your crops because your spirit will protect them. Thank you for being in my life.
Sparky
Sparky
A warm hello.
Reading your blog entries is somewhat similar to reading Haikus in that the few words used to describe a unique subjective moment somehow lead one to laws explaining the universe.
I have been remiss in reading for a while. I must confess to buying myself a Kindle for Christmas and haven’t been able to put it down since.
I would suggest that the pie chart be drawn according to scale of 100% and each entry be proportioned accordingly.
I haven’t read Mr. Hall´s book, so I will limit my comments to his article.
1. At what age does he consider a person old?
2. Why?
3. Is the concept old age related to usefulness or productivity?
4. My personal definition seems to revolve around the concept of- you are old when you stop learning. With that as my definition I’ve met 80 year olds that are young and 20 years olds who aren’t.
5. I´d like to see the various wisdom scales. I need a good laugh.
6. I was glad to see a mention of intercultural differences. I can’t imagine much difference between American vs. Australians. It is a shame they didn’t take the time to go into the outback and interview the aborigines. Their concepts of dreamtime may have been a Zen experience.
Which brings me to Japan and India- again, who did they interview? More than likely it was someone brought up in an Americanized- homogenized culture, like Bollywood. They would have to go into temples, or at least away from major cities to have a better comparison.
Someone like Wade Davis would a better resource for exploring the concept of wisdom in traditional societies.
7. Emotional control---- emotional balance seems a better fit. The idea of keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of adversity does not translate to wisdom in my book.
8. To a hammer, the world consists of nails. To a neuroscientist the human mind consists of brain activity centers. I refuse to reduce wisdom to the results of a PET scan of my amygdala.
9. And lastly, it would seem that somehow we all intrinsically know what wisdom is, even if we can´t define it. For me a good example of the wise old man archetype is Yoda.
Are we there yet?
Larry
Dear Larry,
Un abrazo para tu tambien
Your comparing my writing to a haiku is very flattering. Your questions are quite important, and I confess that I do not know the answer to many of them. I agree with you that age is a variable dimension. Your cross cultural focus is always welcome to me. Once again I am very much taken by the similarities in our thinking. To quote back at you, as Gandhi said "If we operate from the bias of lextalonis we would all be blind." I do not follow neurophysiological as to human behavior, just like you. Keep on connecting, Sparky
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