WISDOM VS INTELLIGENCE

DATA. INTELLIGENCE. HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

The world values intelligence at a very high premium because it is one of the major components that has allowed us to evolve, create, and recreate. Wisdom on the other hand is valued but not emphasized as much, taught, or valued in the same way intelligence has been over the years.  Why? 

Well let's start by looking at the basic definitions of each word.
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INTELLIGENCE

WISDOM

Intelligence, applied KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS vs wisdom, the quality of having EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE and GOOD JUDGEMENT...soundness of action or decision...
As you can see by reading the definitions, intelligence is an objective application of knowledge and skills. Whereas wisdom is a combination of objective and subjective application of not just knowledge and/or skills, but decision making that distills data in the form of social experiences and/or shared knowledge from another person.  

For example, intelligence or a person's IQ is not directly related to whether or not you touch a hot stove. Based on a persons experience with other hot elements like water, steam, fire, or even the sun we have an experiential concept of what "hot" is. Therefore, if we've never experienced touching a stove, we can choose to touch it or take the wisdom from another person (whether experiential or scientific). If we choose not to touch it then we've made a wise decision, but if we choose to touch it then we've made an unwise decision. This opens up the opportunity in the future for us to make a wise decision or repeat the same unwise decision.

So what does this all have to do with branding and marketing? Directly, not a whole lot, but indirectly both intelligence and wisdom are needed for branding and marketing which goes without saying (but just for fun I said it anyway). This blog was really to help elevate the value of wisdom and the lack of importance it has in business and society at large. Empowering and encouraging people young and old to acquire as much wisdom as possible because that is going to give you the ability to harness your intelligence to make more sound decision making as you go through life's experiences, our journey. 

We tend to downplay or downgrade wisdom as common knowledge or common sense. Funny they both use the word "common". Typically this is used by someone who has already gained the experience and knowledge = wisdom. Wisdom isn't common, because no matter what institutions you go to if someone didn't provide you with or you didn't experience personal finance, job interviewing, home buying, healthy eating, faith, courage, exercise, law following, morality, etc. you will not know how to navigate through these experiences.  

Intelligence is important, it has allowed us to evolve, create, and recreate. We know intelligence can influence wisdom and vice versa, but I leave you with this question and thought what is intelligence without wisdom? I challenge you to go deeper than the obvious answers, look at it from many different perspectives holistically and separately, worldview, scientific view, faith view, even from hi-tech view. Things like A.I. , mobile phones and social media can really begin to reveal the value of the human experience.