Netted, therefore smarter and probably wiser

I cannot explain how grateful I feel each time I am submerged in the web. I am speechless at the speed I get the newest information, the wisest opinions, and the weirdest perspectives on small and big things that occur around us. Instant access and multiple interactions with the most remote part of the world was something unimaginable ten years ago. Certainly it is one of the greatest inventions of humanity and I am one of those that take its fullest advantage.

Not only I am communicating with family and friends across continents, I am also sharing knowledge with people that influenced my views, most of whom I had not dared to approach due to their undisputable reputation. And it is so amazing getting to know their perspectives on a daily basis. I can access to documents and files that inform me and help me fill and shape my knowledge. Internet became an essential tool for me to become smarter.

Key point here however, is whether out of unlimited amount of information and knowledge, I am actually becoming wiser. I definitely got smarter and quicker in many aspects, but as most would agree, intellect differs from rationality. And it requires a lot of energy and constant in-depth thinking to reach to the dimension of what we call reason. Intelligence provides us with the good tools to reasoning, but being intelligent does not mean you are capable of good reasoning. Plus, this kind of mental training can be solely achieved consciously and with a high level of effort. So, decision making plays an important role here. It is up to the person whether he or she decides to reason.

Interestingly, although there are certainly pleasures in reasoning, not so many people choose to do so. There can be many factors that affect this behavior. Lazyness and selfishness followed by indifference can be good reasons why people do not want to think. Lack of intellect, therefore failure to right judgement, can be another cause, which, in times of abundant information such as today, can be regarded as an excuse. What is really sad is that I am encountering so many not smart and unwise people. And it irritates me to see that even all human kind is homo sapien, not everyone commits their time to thinking. Maybe they don't find pleasures in real thinking as much as in their shallow talking.

People are different. Happyness is subjective. Success is not fair. Life is not fair. Well, fair enough.