Intellect vs Knowledge

I have recently encountered a trend in the blogosphere, whereby educated youths of lower to mid-twenties seem to think they have a lock on smarts. Obviously, most of these fine young people will one day grow up to be intelligent productive adults.

Unfortunately, many think that by the dint of a college degree, they have reached the pinnacle of acquired knowledge. When they look back at these formative years, an epiphany will occur. Suddenly, thy will realize how really dumb they were prior to gaining age, maturity and acquired knowledge.

The process of learning just starts where formal education ends. If one has an inquiring mind and an open view toward knowledge, it will come rapidly, year after year. Without the curiosity to find answers to questions that baffle, no learning takes place.

As I said, most will reach a place around forty where they will look back with wonder at how little they actually knew back then. Some, of course, bathing in the belief that their intellect surpasses that of most if not all others, won't agree. They will go through life smug with the feeling that all is well and no further tolerance of other opinions or sources of information are necessary.

In the mean while, this old codger is still learning new things every day about life, people and really, nothing has changed. I was, too, one of those brash youngsters of which I am speaking about.