I felt compelled to respond to you after reading these three entries. I’m a recent high school graduate and with college starting next month I’ve been doing a lot of thinking this summer about self, purpose, identity and generally a lot of philosophical subjects. I googled Wisdom versus Intelligence and yours is the first page that popped up. Your insight has helped me immensely in defining Wisdom and Intelligence. All of it ties in with a greater perspective I’ve started to develop on the duality of the world: Wisdom versus Intelligence, Intuition and Faith versus Logic and Reason, Seeing the Bigger Picture versus Following a Sequence, the list goes on. Right now, I must admit that I am as you say you were when you were my age: Intelligent, booksmart, and sharp, but not wise, streetsmart, or with a good sense of purpose. Through my own insight and with the help of insight of yours and others I’m coming closer to a better understanding of the world. It probably wouldn’t surprise you if I said this contrast between wisdom and intelligence is just one aspect of a much deeper contrast between two very different patterns of thought. What might surprise you is that I’ve found the basis for this conflict is wired into our very brains – specifically the left and right sides. The left side of the brain is analytical, verbal, logical, is linear and rooted in time: Intelligence could be thought of as dominating this side. The right side of the brain is insightful, visual, intuitive, timeless and holistic: Wisdom dominates this side. What’s even more surprising is that I learned this in an artbook (If interested you might want to read the first couple of chapters of “Drawing on the right side of the brain”)

One conclusion I’ve come to realise is that in most cases where there exists polar opposites or stark contrast, balance is perfection – impossible for any human to achieve, but well sought after. So I thank you for reminding that one cannot rely on intelligence alone. Spirituality and Philosophy have much to offer in terms of wisdom, something I neglected. The extremes of religious zealots and religion in politics made me forget that the extreme of life devoid of spirituality has equally disastrous results.

I felt compelled to write to you after reading all three sections of your writings and your testamony about your life. I have led a similar life in that I am plagued by the desease of alcoholism, and am a total jerk a lot of the time. I married my wife a year and a half ago and we have a beautiful baby boy together. I vowed to myself that I would change my life when he was born, but I have slipped back into my old ways again. My wife and I recently started attending a great church here on Maui, however we have not dove in like we should. I keep putting off joining small groups or Bible studeis and I find reasons not to volunteer for things. I feel like I’m going through the motions, but would like to do so much more with my life. I want to live for the Lord! I find your writings to be very inspirational, and have some key points down to post on my wall. I want to wake up to them every day as a reminder to me of what life is really all about…. walking with the Lord. I still fear that my alcoholism will hold me back though. Do you have any suggestions for me on how to beat this evil desease? Any life experiences that might help me to defeat this beast in my life? If so, I could really use the encouragement.

Sincerely,
Matthew Mosley