I’ve recently been pondering the question, what truly constitutes wisdom? Can it be determined by age, your intelligence quotient or how many people read your weblog? It is a question that shall probably forever elude me.
What prompted me to philosophise over this is my physical state of health. I have spent at least half of 2006 partially debilitated with some sort of illness. Is this a sign of age, and is age a deterministic factor of wisdom? Just yesterday, I discovered my first fully-white strand of hair on my scalp. Not half-white, not grey, just plain white. A couple of days prior, I was told by doctors that I have a hernia. This is a follow-on from two bouts of bronchitis (there was a noticeable gap in between), which had me coughing my lungs out over a period of several months, placing stress on my abdominal muscles. That in turn stemmed from an infection that left me with laryngitis. I can’t even remember what might have caused that. There was some concern that I might develop pneumonia (which incidentally is what felled James Brown yesterday). That’s all on top of my usual issues with hayfever and eczema.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that my body is collapsing (apart from my cholesterol, I’m quite healthy overall), but is this a harbinger of something more? Are these signs of age, and if so, am I any wiser? Can I join the (in)famous greybeard clique in the community? Is there a form that I can sign, and do I need to remember a secret handshake? Is there a sign that states “You must be this grey to enter”?
Far out… And this is only on the threshold of my 25th birthday…
December 26th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Soothing for us
Back when I was getting my first gray( I can not believe that the spell checker does not let me use an ‘e’ in gray!) hair, I had to be about 25 or so, and I could not imagine the life I live today. Even as I progressed over the years, and I…
December 28th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Hi Sridhar, sorry to hear about your medical malidy
So far I’ve enjoyed your addition to the planet on Ubuntu. You mentioned a hernia, there are 2 types I know of. My mum developed a slight hiatal hernia which is in the esophagus. This may not be what you have. But its not a major thing but if it get worse, there are 2 minor endoscopic procedures that can treat it other then the current treatment she uses in the form of nexium. As for wisdom, its not just information, fact or age that defines it. You at least need to experience relating to it and the knowledge when to apply this. Cheers,
Kev
December 28th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your comments. I have an inguinal hernia. It isn’t serious at this point, but it is slightly disconcerting to feel. I have been referred to see a specialist doctor, but given the time of year I haven’t yet had an opportunity to see him. I’ll be at linux.conf.au in January, so I’ll have to schedule any procedure for afterwards.
The wisdom thing was just some tongue-in-cheek commentary about my state of health and ageing. Don’t take my ramblings seriously
I have plenty to learn on this planet, and I thirst for knowledge and experience.
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:05 pm
SD. First — ouch. Second — I am refraining from making a comment about location due to my own previous experience. Thirdly, on the topic of wisdom, I will do the traditional thing and quote an ancient Greek, in this case Euripides:
“The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.“
MK