The Elusive Water of Wisdom

Remember that story David Foster Wallace told? Two young fish swim along, bump into an older fish who greets them, "Morning, boys. How’s the water?" The young fish swim on, and one turns to the other and asks, "What the hell is water?"

That little parable, decades later, still hits hard. The most obvious, crucial things in life are often the hardest to even see, let alone understand.

Like water, wisdom surrounds us. We know it's important, but it's invisible, odorless, formless. It slips through our fingers. I think true wisdom isn't about what we say, but how we listen.

Listening: The Lost Art

Columnist David Brooks nailed it: Wisdom isn't about dropping clever one-liners. It's about connection. Wise people have this way of paying attention, even when they're silent. They "start by witnessing our story," he says.

Wisdom doesn't boom out of a megaphone; it whispers from a place of deep listening, of simply being there. Eastern traditions have been hip to this for ages, while Western culture's been all about rhetoric and big pronouncements.

Drowning in Data, Starving for Wisdom

E.O. Wilson said it back in '82: "We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom.” And it's a million times worse now. The information we churn out daily would stack to the moon and back...ten times!

Real wisdom is quiet. It's knowing when to talk, but more importantly, when to listen. It's about connecting on a deeper level, tuning into what's really being said, even when no one's speaking.

The Smartphone Sabotage

So, if listening equals wisdom, why are we so terrible at it? Blame our smartphones! For almost twenty years, they’ve been training us to interrupt. Interruptions used to be rude; now they're the default. These constant disruptions have made us impatient, uncomfortable with silence.

Wise people get that connection is where the magic happens. It's letting people finish their thoughts, because often, they're just processing. When we interrupt, we hijack that process and kill the chance for real connection.

The Power of Presence

When wise people speak, they don't rush. They're thoughtful, considerate. They listen first, and then move slowly toward conclusions. By simply listening, they "teach" others to reach their own conclusions too.

In our noisy, distracted world, there's a huge hunger for authentic connection, for relationships that go beyond the surface noise. And that brings us back to Wallace's water. Wisdom is like water not just because it's invisible, but because it supports and sustains without shouting for attention.

Like water, wisdom creates the conditions for life and growth while staying humble. The wisest among us aren't the loudest voices. They're the ones who've mastered the increasingly rare art of being present, listening deeply, and creating spaces where others can find their own way.