If you are clever, you are said to be quick to understand and apply ideas. The clever person may not fully comprehend the matters at hand, but they respond with at least the appearance of being quite intelligent.

The wisest among us understand all matters and apply their breadth of intelligence with patience and diligence to arrive where they intended to go. Pure wisdom may not be as charismatic as being clever in the moment, but to follow and act with the wise is the better way. As the philosopher Euripides was quoted, “cleverness is not wisdom.”

It is important for us to discern which of those around us are more likely to be clever rather than wise. The clever may even draw in more followers, but that won’t help them or yourself as a follower to become the wisest.

“Cleverness is serviceable for everything, sufficient for nothing.” — Henri Frederic Amiel —

MITM