Why do wise people always sound so profound?

Jonathan Brooks8 said: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...😁

😂😂
We might as well just close this thread now; it’s impossible to top this level of absurdity. Truly legendary...

"Just speak normally so the rest of the world can actually follow you"—that should be the golden rule for any philosopher. But alas...

It is truly questionable—irrational, even—how often these pseudo-intellectuals rely on convoluted phrasing and dense semantic gymnastics to compensate for a glaring lack of actual substance or expertise. Instead of sticking to the topic using everyday language and, heaven forbid, coherent logic to get to the heart of the matter, they hide behind jargon. They try to "illustrate" or "exemplify" their points through sheer linguistic complexity just to seem credible. Ugh, I'm exhausted just typing this. It's funny, though.🙂

Then again, if you don't speak in meta-language, people just dismiss you as some amateur philosopher—though, really, what defines a "professional" philosopher? Does anyone actually get a paycheck for philosophizing? Or an amateur literary theorist? 😢

Is it better to be a smart, constructive hillbilly than an eloquent, highly educated idiot?😕🤷

Seriously, though... what kind of question is that? Is someone joking?

It's like asking why people laugh when something is actually funny.

Or maybe I just missed the point.🤔

Doesn't wisdom usually go hand in hand with life experience? Like, the older, grayer, more wrinkled you are, the wiser you've become?

I picture a wise guy as some old fisherman out on a pier in Maine. Nobody knows his age—maybe he doesn't even know himself. He just sits there every day, mending nets, occasionally glancing out at the Atlantic before getting back to work. Then, when some tourist wanders up asking for directions, he’ll give them the route, but toss in a bit of deep, universal truth on the way out that sticks with you for the rest of your life.

copperharbor47 said: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.

Honestly, I’m on the same page. Real wisdom doesn't have to be some complicated puzzle. 🙂
Some people just use big, fancy words to mask the fact that they're actually talking nonsense.🤷

Frank Foster40 said:Honestly, I’m on the same page. Real wisdom doesn't have to be some complicated puzzle. 🙂
Some people just use big, fancy words to mask the fact that they're actually talking nonsense.🤷

😂😂😂
:Socrates act wise because they spend half an hour crafting every single sentence just to make sure it sounds profound🙄
like I am doing right now😂😂😂😛

The wise guy doesn't even realize he's actually smart—it's kind of funny.
He won't get it until the whole crowd starts cheering his name.

Keith Lee2 said:The wise guy doesn't even realize he's actually smart—it's kind of funny.
He won't get it until the whole crowd starts cheering his name.

I’m not entirely convinced that’s the case.

The crowd is far more likely to applaud a fool than a sage—and more often than not, the sage doesn't even notice the applause in the first place...

Jonathan Brooks8 said: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...😁

I mean, they probably just have to find some way to entertain themselves, right? Like, if they don't laugh at their own jokes, who else is going to... 🙂

True wisdom isn't something you broadcast to the world—it’s better left unsaid.

Charles Diaz56 said:True wisdom isn't something you broadcast to the world—it’s better left unsaid.

And there you go again, saying the exact same thing. 🤣

Zachary Turner6 said:😂😂
We might as well just close this thread now; it’s impossible to top this level of absurdity. Truly legendary...

"Just speak normally so the rest of the world can actually follow you"—that should be the golden rule for any philosopher. But alas...

It is truly questionable—irrational, even—how often these pseudo-intellectuals rely on convoluted phrasing and dense semantic gymnastics to compensate for a glaring lack of actual substance or expertise. Instead of sticking to the topic using everyday language and, heaven forbid, coherent logic to get to the heart of the matter, they hide behind jargon. They try to "illustrate" or "exemplify" their points through sheer linguistic complexity just to seem credible. Ugh, I'm exhausted just typing this. It's funny, though.🙂

Then again, if you don't speak in meta-language, people just dismiss you as some amateur philosopher—though, really, what defines a "professional" philosopher? Does anyone actually get a paycheck for philosophizing? Or an amateur literary theorist? 😢

Is it better to be a smart, constructive hillbilly than an eloquent, highly educated idiot?😕🤷

Dammit, you missed my point entirely; once again, I find myself turning to LaoTse:
When a high-level sage hears of the Tao, they rush to align themselves with it.

When a mid-level sage hears of the Tao, they are caught halfway between belief and doubt.

And when a low-level sage hears of the Tao, they simply burst out laughing.

If they hadn't laughed, they wouldn't truly understand the Tao at all.

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?

And look, if you’re actually sitting there hunting for answers, don't go making life harder on yourself than it needs to be by overthinking every little thing.
Quincy:

So, I’ve been sitting here chewing on this one for a minute, just staring at the wall and wondering if all these "wise men" out there are actually doing anything useful, or if they're just playing some high-level intellectual game meant only for people who have nothing better to do than contemplate the void. Like, is wisdom some exclusive club where you need a VIP pass and a PhD just to get through the door, or is it supposed to actually mean something to the guy working a nine-to-five in Chicago or someone just trying to make sense of their messy life? Because honestly, if this deep, transcendental stuff doesn't help the average person navigate the absolute chaos of everyday existence, then what’s even the point of it all? It feels kind of elitist, right? Like, why bother peeling back the layers of the universe if that knowledge doesn't help you deal with a bad day or a broken heart or just the general absurdity of being alive? I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking it—I tend to do that too much—but it feels like true wisdom should be practical, something you can actually use when life starts hitting you hard, not just some abstract concept reserved for people sitting on mountaintops somewhere.

Look, those kinds of deep quotes? They’re really just tailored for people who are desperate for some kind of direction. You've got that crowd that doesn't quite grasp what's being said, so they sit there acting all impressed, calling it "profound" or whatever. But then you have the people who actually get it—the ones who actually live by it—and to them, it isn't some grand revelation or life-changing epiphany. It’s just... reality. It’s just how things work. It's basically just common sense, plain and simple.
Quincy:

Let me clear things up: I’ve got this habit, you know, where I’ll be sitting around reading these deep, "profound" quotes—the kind people love to post on LinkedIn to look smart—and I can't help but notice how incredibly convoluted they are. It’s like some people go out of their way to wrap a simple thought in ten layers of linguistic bubble wrap just to make themselves feel superior, and honestly, half the time, most folks can't even wrap their heads around what's being said because it's just needlessly dense.

Like enky says: they're just simple.
Look, I’m just gonna be real with you here—your whole vibe, the way you're processing this and actually accepting who you are and what's going down right now? It’s just not cutting it. You aren't even close to the level of maturity or awareness needed to handle a task like this.
Quincy:

Alright, here we go: I mean, can you even call someone a sage if they’re out here trying to play professor to some random guy on the street? It feels kind of fake, right? Like, if you actually possess that deep, heavy level of insight, why would you feel the need to go shoving it in a regular person's face just to prove a point? To me, true wisdom is more about staying low-key and letting things unfold naturally rather than performing for an audience that didn't even ask for a lecture. If you have to flaunt it to be recognized, maybe you aren't as enlightened as you think you are. It just seems like a massive ego trip, honestly.

I honestly don't think a wise man ever actually sets out to be "wise," you know? It’s not like they wake up and decide to go collect some profound insights from the universe. I feel like a truly wise person just chooses to be a friend to people instead. That’s the whole thing. And if that's the case, then my goal—if I can even call it that without sounding way too full of myself—is just to be there for folks and help them out however I see fit, in whatever way I think makes the most sense at the time.
And honestly, you could also argue that if someone is sitting there struggling to actually grasp the "wisdom" being handed to them, they’ve basically already dropped the ball on their end of the deal—because, let's be real, the whole point was to actually digest it, own it, and then put it to work in the real world.

Peter Phillips32 said:And look, if you’re actually sitting there hunting for answers, don't go making life harder on yourself than it needs to be by overthinking every little thing.
Quincy:

So, I’ve been sitting here chewing on this one for a minute, just staring at the wall and wondering if all these "wise men" out there are actually doing anything useful, or if they're just playing some high-level intellectual game meant only for people who have nothing better to do than contemplate the void. Like, is wisdom some exclusive club where you need a VIP pass and a PhD just to get through the door, or is it supposed to actually mean something to the guy working a nine-to-five in Chicago or someone just trying to make sense of their messy life? Because honestly, if this deep, transcendental stuff doesn't help the average person navigate the absolute chaos of everyday existence, then what’s even the point of it all? It feels kind of elitist, right? Like, why bother peeling back the layers of the universe if that knowledge doesn't help you deal with a bad day or a broken heart or just the general absurdity of being alive? I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking it—I tend to do that too much—but it feels like true wisdom should be practical, something you can actually use when life starts hitting you hard, not just some abstract concept reserved for people sitting on mountaintops somewhere.

Look, those kinds of deep quotes? They’re really just tailored for people who are desperate for some kind of direction. You've got that crowd that doesn't quite grasp what's being said, so they sit there acting all impressed, calling it "profound" or whatever. But then you have the people who actually get it—the ones who actually live by it—and to them, it isn't some grand revelation or life-changing epiphany. It’s just... reality. It’s just how things work. It's basically just common sense, plain and simple.
Quincy:

Let me clear things up: I’ve got this habit, you know, where I’ll be sitting around reading these deep, "profound" quotes—the kind people love to post on LinkedIn to look smart—and I can't help but notice how incredibly convoluted they are. It’s like some people go out of their way to wrap a simple thought in ten layers of linguistic bubble wrap just to make themselves feel superior, and honestly, half the time, most folks can't even wrap their heads around what's being said because it's just needlessly dense.

Like enky says: they're just simple.
Look, I’m just gonna be real with you here—your whole vibe, the way you're processing this and actually accepting who you are and what's going down right now? It’s just not cutting it. You aren't even close to the level of maturity or awareness needed to handle a task like this.
Quincy:

Alright, here we go: I mean, can you even call someone a sage if they’re out here trying to play professor to some random guy on the street? It feels kind of fake, right? Like, if you actually possess that deep, heavy level of insight, why would you feel the need to go shoving it in a regular person's face just to prove a point? To me, true wisdom is more about staying low-key and letting things unfold naturally rather than performing for an audience that didn't even ask for a lecture. If you have to flaunt it to be recognized, maybe you aren't as enlightened as you think you are. It just seems like a massive ego trip, honestly.

I honestly don't think a wise man ever actually sets out to be "wise," you know? It’s not like they wake up and decide to go collect some profound insights from the universe. I feel like a truly wise person just chooses to be a friend to people instead. That’s the whole thing. And if that's the case, then my goal—if I can even call it that without sounding way too full of myself—is just to be there for folks and help them out however I see fit, in whatever way I think makes the most sense at the time.
And honestly, you could also argue that if someone is sitting there struggling to actually grasp the "wisdom" being handed to them, they’ve basically already dropped the ball on their end of the deal—because, let's be real, the whole point was to actually digest it, own it, and then put it to work in the real world.

That’s what happens when I actually try to be a master of my own vocabulary. 😁
Quincy:

Their statements are only useful for those who actually need them. People who don't grasp the concept think they're profound. But for those of us who actually get it and live by it? It’s just common sense. It's everyday reality.

Now that’s a solid, interesting take.

Like enky said:they’re simple.
Your understanding—and frankly, your ability to accept who you are and the mess you're in—is nowhere near where it needs to be for this task.

Maybe they seem straightforward enough to us, but there are always people who just don't get it. What is actually wrong with them?
Quincy:

I don't think a wise man chooses to be wise. He just chooses to be a friend to people. That’s it. As such, I want to help them however I can, and in whatever way I believe is best. And honestly? You could argue that if someone fails to grasp the "wisdom" being shared, the fault lies squarely with the messenger. They didn't do their job. If you aren't making yourself understood—if you aren't actually helping people process, accept, and then apply what you're saying—then you’ve failed. Simple as that.

Maybe he didn't even care about the problem in the first place. Or, if you ask me, some of these self-proclaimed geniuses just aren't wise enough to actually share their "wisdom" with anyone else.

Jeffrey Gray4 said:That’s what happens when I actually try to be a master of my own vocabulary. 😁
Quincy:

Their statements are only useful for those who actually need them. People who don't grasp the concept think they're profound. But for those of us who actually get it and live by it? It’s just common sense. It's everyday reality.

Now that’s a solid, interesting take.

Maybe they seem straightforward enough to us, but there are always people who just don't get it. What is actually wrong with them?
Quincy:

I don't think a wise man chooses to be wise. He just chooses to be a friend to people. That’s it. As such, I want to help them however I can, and in whatever way I believe is best. And honestly? You could argue that if someone fails to grasp the "wisdom" being shared, the fault lies squarely with the messenger. They didn't do their job. If you aren't making yourself understood—if you aren't actually helping people process, accept, and then apply what you're saying—then you’ve failed. Simple as that.

Maybe he didn't even care about the problem in the first place. Or, if you ask me, some of these self-proclaimed geniuses just aren't wise enough to actually share their "wisdom" with anyone else.

Honestly, they need to put in the work themselves if they want to wrap their heads around it. You've gotta have at least a little bit of grit to make things click.
Think of it this way: a wise guy provides 50% of the insight, but the other 50% has to come from the person actually trying to learn. Usually, once you hit that sweet spot where both sides meet, everything finally makes sense.

maybe the person didn't even care about the problem they were facing in the first place...

Well, if they don't give a damn about the problem, they aren't going to give a damn about the solution either. Simple as that.

or, if you ask me, some of these "wise men" aren't actually smart enough to pass their wisdom along to someone else

I mean, yeah, those kinds of half-baked gurus definitely exist. But hey, anything can happen, right? 😉

So, this is how we hit the core of the issue. I actually agree with what you said... those "experts" really are nothing more than that.
I mean, the whole point of an interaction is that there have to be at least two sides involved.
So, what then? Should we just demote everyone who fails to meet those basic standards?

Jonathan Brooks8 said:Dammit, you missed my point entirely; once again, I find myself turning to LaoTse:
When a high-level sage hears of the Tao, they rush to align themselves with it.

When a mid-level sage hears of the Tao, they are caught halfway between belief and doubt.

And when a low-level sage hears of the Tao, they simply burst out laughing.

If they hadn't laughed, they wouldn't truly understand the Tao at all.

hmm...

And here I was, under the impression that one of life's great pieces of wisdom was simply being able to take everything—the good, the bad, and the ugly—with a smile...

It would be a much more compelling concept if the greatest sage rushed to align with the Tao while laughing his head off.😁
Sure, certain truths are—let's face it—only accessible to a tiny fraction of the population (fine, call them the "highest-level sages" if you must), and that’s just reality. However, that doesn't change the fact that such a hierarchy is blatantly elitist.🤷

Jeffrey Gray4 said:So, this is how we hit the core of the issue. I actually agree with what you said... those "experts" really are nothing more than that.
I mean, the whole point of an interaction is that there have to be at least two sides involved.
So, what then? Should we just demote everyone who fails to meet those basic standards?

Look, forcing your own negative baggage onto someone else—deciding exactly who they are based on your own shitty perspective—is just bad form. It’s not helpful for anyone. You know that old saying about how if you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth? Well, that's exactly how it works with people. If someone is feeling particularly fragile or unstable, they might actually start believing your low opinion of them is their reality.
Personality isn't some static, unchangeable thing carved in stone. Throwing around lines like "well, that's just how they are by nature" is a total misunderstanding of how humans actually work.

People end up tearing themselves down because they're lying to themselves, and once you start living a lie, you inevitably end up deceiving everyone else around you too.

Peter Phillips32 said:Look, forcing your own negative baggage onto someone else—deciding exactly who they are based on your own shitty perspective—is just bad form. It’s not helpful for anyone. You know that old saying about how if you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth? Well, that's exactly how it works with people. If someone is feeling particularly fragile or unstable, they might actually start believing your low opinion of them is their reality.
Personality isn't some static, unchangeable thing carved in stone. Throwing around lines like "well, that's just how they are by nature" is a total misunderstanding of how humans actually work.

People end up tearing themselves down because they're lying to themselves, and once you start living a lie, you inevitably end up deceiving everyone else around you too.

Do you really think that's possible? Ever since we were kids, we've been taught to put people into little boxes. Even when we realize nobody is just one single thing—everyone is a mix of many things—we still fall back on those labels. Does that mean most people aren't actually wise?
What are the actual traits and virtues of a wise person versus their flaws?
Just trying to get my bearings here.

says:
...
That much is obvious—it really is—but none of that changes the reality that this whole situation is nothing short of blatantly elitist🤷

Exactly. And if that’s the case, I suppose we just have to accept it with a smirk... though perhaps a rather bitter 😁 might be more appropriate.

Edward Flores4 said:And there you go again, saying the exact same thing. 🤣

Quite so. Since I clearly lack the necessary wisdom.
The truly wise don't bother posting...🙂