Wise vs Highly Intelligent

It is better to be wise than smart. Wisdom breeds humility while high intelligence breeds arrogance.

Very smart people eventually learn that they inherently know and understand more than their peers and eventually more than most adults. This can breed a sense of arrogance and a belief that they are “all knowing” and subsequently they begin not to listen when people (who are not as smart as they are) give them wise advice or the same people provide them with information based on life experience – something that a very intelligent person may not have yet.

Wise people listen with an open mind. Intelligent people don’t think the other person is as smart as them and they don’t even consider what is being told to them.

However, wisdom and Intelligence are not mutually exclusive. The greatest advantage in life is someone who is very intelligent but will listen to others and not be arrogant. In life, very smart people will need to interact with people less intelligent as them. This cannot be avoided. They can be arrogant and eventually turn others off and this will not fare them well in life because they can’t live in a bubble where they argue/debate other smart people all day. Or they stop and listen to others - even people who are obviously not as smart as them - because they may be wiser.

Wisdom is learned. Those who have experienced life and learned from it are wise. Those who can pass on their wisdom are a gift and should be listened to. The wise will listen to wisdom being passed to them. The fool will determine that the wise person is not as smart as them and subsequently brushes off their advice.