Can a person be wise and live a life of self destruction and defiance.?

Question

Why can one posess the wisdom of age yet remain apathetic to the consequences of habits such as smoking drinking drugs etc

Answer 1

I dont think there is wisdom in Apathy, self destruction, or defiance.

smoking, drinking, drugs etc and wisdom don't know each other

Answer 2

We are all sinners in one way or another... we all do things that we know deep down are bad for us, or someone else, yet we do them and excuse them, every day.

Jesus said, "Remove the plank from your own eye, before looking at the splinter in your brother's/sister's, eye!"

In other words, don't criticise the weakness of another, until you have perfected your own bad habits... and are perfect!

By the way, for the anti-lobbyists among us... did you know that scientists have now discovered that whatever bad habits we possess in the way that we indulge, if we have long lived parents and grandparents, we'll still likely reach their age... and if not... then not... it's in the genes and not the habits, as some of us discovered long ago.

I was raised inside the forties and fifties, and my parents and their's, ate every kind of food that is supposedly bad for us, as did I, like bread and dripping sandwhiches, red meats and patries by the score, white bread and suete puddings, yet, you've all failed to realise one thing:

They, are the longest lived generation since the flood... in my youth, 70 was average for a lifespan... for my great grandparents time, but since the second world war ended, people have lived longer, partly affluence, partly freedom from many archaic laws that governed separating the sexes, and partly, because my generation and my parents, ate what our bodies needed in our youth and built our bodies restorative defences far higher then, far better than those born into affluence who were spoiled and eat and ate, junk with all the additives.

We never had an industry in mental health, it was rare to meet a mental health patient. We never had counselling if we hit our toe, or saw something that made us cry... we never had helpline, or counsellors, or 'experts' gearing and bludgeoning our every thought.

We trusted god, each other, opened all our doors, and rolled our sleeves up and never had time to make complaints... and never would we sue eveyone in sight for things that we ourselevs, should take responsibilty about... like our kids welfare and safety, and home school life... and discipline!

I'm glad... really glad... despite having had a pretty rough emotional life due to factors beyond my control, that I was born when I was... I would never want to add a day to my span, or be young in todays greedy, selfish, sadly damaged world.

There are some super wise children... and some very foolish old uns... who will never learn... and those wise little kids could shame many of us with their unexpected insight... This has never changed and never will... whether people drink or smoke, or take drugs... is not about gaining wisdom... true wisdom is knowing not to judge, knowing when to act and when to hold back... and above all, it has no gender, or agenda, and no preference for habits or for age!

Answer 3

I think you're confusing intelligence with wisdom, they're not the same thing. Wisdom conveys good judgement where intelligence has to do with how quickly you can learn and progress intellectually. A person can be a genius and yet be a complete fool. On the other hand a rather simple person live a life lead by wise choices or good judgement if you like. I've seen both.

Answer 4

I think it's alot easier to know what you should do and tell other people what they should do than it is to actually do it yourself. Smoking drinking and drug habits often start at a young age where people aren't very wise, or at a very low point in their life when they dont care if it's wise or not. By the time they've realised they're on self destruct they're hooked and its hard to get off them.

I dont think you can judge other people for doing these things unless you've been addicted to any of the above yourself - how can you understand unless you've been through it?

Answer 5

Wisdom is not just judging externally to self. True wisdom start from understanding your self and why you behave it certain ways. A lot of these things may stem from childhood or a possible sense of not being good enough or rebellion again a controlling parent etc.

It might be lack of self worth/ability to do for self.

There are reasons behind everything we do and a self-destructive person did not happen to become that way overnight; there is a reason a purpose/ reason behind this.

" every action has a re-action"

A wise person would go about reflecting on themselves and their desires and needs that they are perhaps not consciously aware of and go through the painful path to change.

Answer 6

Yes, of course why not. It is a question of free will. We may be intelligent enough to know that drink, drugs, driving at fast speeds, eating the wrong things are bad for us but it doesn't stop some of us from doing it. Being wise can mean many things, I've known many clever or wise people who didn't have a clue about how to run their life, they were sloppy, untidy and disorganised but highly intelligent. I couldn't figure it out either. I'm glad I'm not super intelligently clever and wise, I'd prefer to be street wise and happy go lucky any day.

Answer 7

it's what the person wants to choose. the choise to be wise so people can look up to them fro advice or just that they have a better way to live life rather than the wild ways. if htey choose the crazy way of drinking, drugs etc, they'll loose the gift of seeing things different and the wise that they have. with people like that have a great gift. my little brother is like that, which he has an old soul and can talk wisely only for a young child.smart.

Answer 8

Being wise does not necessarily make someone strong.

Habits such as smoking, drinking, and drugs all have physically addictive properties, as well as mentally addictive ones. Being wise does not automatically give someone the power to overcome that.

Answer 9

I am not sure... My gandmother was a drunk and she smoked but she really knew people. I mean that she was VERY smart about the natural way to things. Even though she made a lot of wrong decisions, I think she was wise about life in other ways

Answer 10

Yes