If I were forced to choose between being intelligent or exuding wisdom, I would opt for the latter. Make no mistake, I prize intelligence, love when I learn things, I can add to my knowledge database, I've been cultivating for some 64 odd years. I define it as the ability to grasp abstract concepts quickly, recall information readily, and solve problems. The problem, though, intelligence can result in poor decisions when reasoning is disconnected from deeper understanding, giving rise to the caricature of the brilliant scientist with a total lack of common sense. We see this in federal politicians who tend to be lawyers, a profession requiring enough intelligence to earn a law degree, but who routinely make horrendous decisions when proposing or passing bills into law because they cannot connect short-term decisions with longer-term consequences. A great example...
