Intelligence and Wisdom: What is the Difference?

       What is the difference between wisdom and intelligence? Can we be wise and intelligent at the same time? Can we be intelligent without being wise or wise without being intelligent? I thought about this subject for a while and I came up with this simple list:

1. Intelligence is something innate while wisdom is acquired with experience and age.
2. Intelligence can make a person succeed in a brilliant career, but it cannot prevent him from failing in other areas in his life. However, wisdom saves people from many mistakes and a lot of headaches.
3. Intelligence can make someone rich, but wisdom makes the person preserve his wealth.
4. Intelligence brings only others’ respect. Wisdom, on the other hand, brings both people’s love and respect.
5. Intelligence can be inherited, but wisdom has to be acquired.
6. Intelligence can be used for wicked and destructive purposes; wisdom is usually for good.
7. Intelligence leads to pride while wisdom leads to modesty.
8. Intelligence attracts others’ jealousy but wisdom attracts others’ love.

   I think it is possible to be intelligent without being wise. Indeed, I met highly educated people failing in many areas of their lives: family, relationships…and I felt they lacked wisdom in many ways. I can cite numerous examples of successful doctors not being able to deal with their family problems or handle little emotional stress. Nevertheless, I don’t think that someone can be wise without having some level of intelligence. Personally, if I have to choose between intelligence and wisdom, I will opt for wisdom because it is more rewarding. Still, having both intelligence and wisdom will help anybody to handle life better.

Lilia Warunky