But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
—Job 28:12
Harold Bloom uses these words for his book Where Shall Wisdom Be Found? which Slarue gave me for Christmas two years ago. I've been rereading sections of it lately, and today I decided to make a wisdom journal. (Finally, a use for my Moleskine notebook!) I thought about developing a theoretical definition and/or framework of wisdom, but after a quarter of discussing theoretical definitions of information, I decided I would freestyle it instead. (Also, how does one define "wisdom"?) I think it will be composed mostly of quotes, poems, passages from novels and plays, aphorisms, song lyrics, etc. Things that strike me as being wise—whatever that is. So far I have four entries.
The things that make us happy make us wise.
—John Crowley, Little, Big
I think I will generally stay away from quotes that directly invoke wisdom, but ever since reading this passage in Crowley's novel, it has haunted me.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
—Hamlet (Act I, scene v)
Every now and then it's a good reminder to quote this to myself and replace Horatio's name with my own.
From Blank to Blank—
A Threadless Way
I pushed Mechanic feet—
To stop—or perish—or advance—
Alike indifferent—
If end I gained
It ends beyond
Indefinite disclosed—
I shut my eyes—and groped as well
'Twas lighter—to be Blind—
—Emily Dickinson, Poem 671
I don't think anyone ever knows what Emily is saying, but I love this poem, and it strikes me as being very wise.
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me in one place search another,
I stop some where waiting for you.
—Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself" Leaves of Grass
These are the final three lines of "Song of Myself," and Whitman is an American prophet, so it must contain wisdom, right? I think I fell in love with these lines from the Angel of America's reprise: "You can't Outrun your Occupation, Jonah. / Hiding from Me in one place you will find me in another. / I I I I stop down the road, waiting for you." from Tony Kushner's play Angels in America.
The problem that arises without using a definition of wisdom, is that I'm not sure what to include. I don't want to be too generous or too stingy. I suppose I will learn as I go, and look for those things that haunt me. After all, Emerson said, "In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty." If you would like to nominate any entries for wisdom, I'd love to hear them.
I feel old, but not very wise.
—Jenny, An Education
I dig the concept of a wisdom journal, and so far your entries seem instructive and also beautiful. Have fun with it! I do have random journals full of song lyrics and poems and things, but few of the entries there have anything to do with wisdom or the like.
ReplyDeleteNow I need an excuse to use a moleskine journal.
I've never kept a wisdom journal. What a cool idea. Your quotes seem appropriate. I hardly think you can go wrong including or excluding as you please. What strikes you in one circumstance may sound ovbvious in another. But keep in mind that a passage is not any less wise just because you've grown wiser since finding it. If that makes any sense.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for Emily. Dear old Emily. What on earth was she ever talking about? I'm amused that her perplexing poetry strikes you as wise. Strangely, though, I have to agree. Even when it doesn't make sense, I always get the feeling she knew what she was talking about.
"Does Life only offer two alternatives: 'You shall be happy, healthy, attractive, a good mixer, a good lover and parent, but on the condition that you are not overcurious about life. On the other hand you shall be sensitive, conscious of what is happening round you, but in that case you must not expect to be happy, or successful in love or at home in any company. There are two worlds and you cannot belong to them both.'"
ReplyDeleteAuden
I think we know that Auden wasn't advocating we cannot belong to both, rather, he was suggesting in all his famous subtly that we can and should seek to have both.
Here's some wisdom: Write in your blog.
ReplyDeleteThat's all.