Why do wise people always sound so profound?

I’ve been stuck on one question lately.

Are proverbs meant strictly for the enlightened elite, or should their wisdom actually be useful to the average person?

To clarify:
When I read these "wise" sayings, I often notice they're so convoluted that half the population can't even wrap their heads around them.

So here's my point:
Can someone truly claim to be wise if they aren't willing to make that wisdom accessible to the common man?

Jeffrey Gray4 said:I’ve been stuck on one question lately.

Are proverbs meant strictly for the enlightened elite, or should their wisdom actually be useful to the average person?

To clarify:
When I read these "wise" sayings, I often notice they're so convoluted that half the population can't even wrap their heads around them.

So here's my point:
Can someone truly claim to be wise if they aren't willing to make that wisdom accessible to the common man?

Sages aren't nearly as wise as people tend to believe.

Simplicity is where the real magic happens.
The "average Joe" just loves overcomplicating everything—honestly, why even bother? It’s because they lack any actual foresight. 😁

...so the title of this thread is 😵, but let's be real, the whole thing is basically 😵 anyway, which is why I decided to jump in here so fast, since I'm also 😵

Or maybe it’s just an average person overcomplicating things—mostly because they think it makes them look smarter. I mean, goodness, has anyone ever actually seen a philosopher express themselves simply? It seems there’s this assumption that the more convoluted your phrasing, the deeper your thoughts must be. Though, I suppose one could argue that certain profound ideas can't quite be captured in everyday slang. Higher language for higher thoughts, I guess. 😁

Jeffrey Gray4 said:I’ve been stuck on one question lately.

Are proverbs meant strictly for the enlightened elite, or should their wisdom actually be useful to the average person?

To clarify:
When I read these "wise" sayings, I often notice they're so convoluted that half the population can't even wrap their heads around them.

So here's my point:
Can someone truly claim to be wise if they aren't willing to make that wisdom accessible to the common man?

I mean, personally, I think it’s huge that wisdom stays accessible to regular people. 🙂
Just because if all this deep stuff is just circling around in some exclusive club for intellectuals, then what's even the point? It doesn't help anyone. 🤷
Everyone deserves a shot at seeing these good ideas and actually putting them to use in the real world...🙄

Idiots shouldn't exist just so they can pretend they know everything; they need to actually sit down and learn some wisdom from those who truly understand it.

Frank Foster40 said:I mean, personally, I think it’s huge that wisdom stays accessible to regular people. 🙂
Just because if all this deep stuff is just circling around in some exclusive club for intellectuals, then what's even the point? It doesn't help anyone. 🤷
Everyone deserves a shot at seeing these good ideas and actually putting them to use in the real world...🙄

Unless, of course, that "wisdom" is nothing more than flowery literature.

I guess there’s a certain kind of wisdom found in simplicity that most folks just seem to overlook, you know? If someone can't quite grasp what's being said, maybe it just means they aren't quite at that level yet, I suppose.

granitemoose22 said:I guess there’s a certain kind of wisdom found in simplicity that most folks just seem to overlook, you know? If someone can't quite grasp what's being said, maybe it just means they aren't quite at that level yet, I suppose.

Wisdom is supposed to serve those who lack it...
Look, if you can't use SIMPLE
logic, then you're useless. You shouldn't be trying to teach a pro how to fish; you should be teaching the amateur.
If you just stand there watching someone struggle when they clearly don't know what they're doing...
What kind of teacher are you even?

Simplicity is the whole point.
Otherwise, we’d all be learning from the hardest concepts first instead of building up from the basics.

I’ve been thinking lately that wisdom isn't really about how much facts you can cram into your head through studying, if that makes sense... it’s more about that deeper level of actually understanding things on a soulful level. It’s almost like if you look at it through a philosophical lens 🙂

If someone actually thinks they’re wise, they should be busy teaching people how to understand... why bother sharing that wisdom in the first place?
Just so people who get it can sit around and admire them?

I mean, honestly, there just aren't many truly wise teachers out there these days. It feels like most of them are more interested in being treated like some kind of intellectual elite, you know? They're mostly just looking for people to admire them because they think they're so much smarter than everyone else, I guess.

granitemoose22 said:I mean, honestly, there just aren't many truly wise teachers out there these days. It feels like most of them are more interested in being treated like some kind of intellectual elite, you know? They're mostly just looking for people to admire them because they think they're so much smarter than everyone else, I guess.

I'm not just telling you this... if you're truly wise, you're wise across the board. If you actually possess enough wisdom to uncover life's secrets, then you must also have the capacity to pass those truths on to those who missed them...

Besides, philosophers are a different breed entirely. So many of their famous quotes were born from heated debates with other thinkers... leaving behind nothing but more questions that demand even deeper philosophical digging.

hollowtinker18@ Do you really have to be a genius in every single area of your life just to act smart?

I mean, yeah, just because someone is actually wise doesn't necessarily mean they're good with words or even able to put their thoughts into speech.
It’s probably not just a coincidence either that so many profound, wise sayings we all know ended up being penned by famous American novelists.

In my humble opinion, being wise starts with one thing: actually listening to the person talking to you.🙂🙂🙂

It’s wild how many problems just vanish when you give someone the floor. People are incredibly satisfied just knowing they were heard. Most of the time, they already have the answer—they just need someone to listen so their own solution feels valid.

Real wisdom is simple: you leave a conversation feeling like you can handle your own mess without anyone holding your hand.🙂😉😁

Mark Torres14 said:In my humble opinion, being wise starts with one thing: actually listening to the person talking to you.🙂🙂🙂

It’s wild how many problems just vanish when you give someone the floor. People are incredibly satisfied just knowing they were heard. Most of the time, they already have the answer—they just need someone to listen so their own solution feels valid.

Real wisdom is simple: you leave a conversation feeling like you can handle your own mess without anyone holding your hand.🙂😉😁

Maybe that Honey fool taught him how to be self-reliant. I’m not saying the guy has to be wise with his words, too.
In your example, the Honey fool actually pulled it off.

For Jack and Honey fool.
Honey fool, as far as I can tell, he’s actually quite accomplished in his field—if you even want to call him that.
What kind of mathematician would you even call someone if they could handle multiplication and division but were completely clueless about fractions? It’s a joke.

I don't really get why people think being a "genius" means you need to have a million thoughts racing through your head just to be wise.

There are plenty of totally "simple" folks out there who can drop some serious wisdom when it counts.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada



Does a man with a smile like that only speak in profound truths? 😉

This whole thing brings to mind something Lao Tzu once said:
"My value lies precisely in the fact that I am so rarely understood."

It seems nobody can spout quite as much nonsense as those who claim to be wise...😁