Modern man is convinced that he thinks. He reads, listens, analyzes, discusses, uses complex words. He believes that intelligence is proof of his power, but often it is only a decorative curtain — bright but empty.
Intelligence or wisdom is not the amount of knowledge you have. It is the power to understand that you are capable of thinking — and to be able to look at your thinking from the outside. This is where true wisdom begins. Not in what you know, but in what you are able to question in yourself.
Knowing is not the same as understanding
Many confuse awareness with understanding. We live in an age where information is available in a second, but the ability to use it meaningfully is rare. People read facts but don’t think about their meaning. They know what is happening but don’t know how to think about why it is happening.
This creates the illusion of “wisdom.” Intelligence without feedback is like a computer processor without a user—fast but blind. It processes but does not understand.
To think truly means to see yourself in the process of thinking. To understand that your beliefs may be wrong. That you may not be right even if you argue logically. And that requires humility towards yourself — because questioning yourself is much harder than questioning others.
Intellectual narrow-mindedness: when wisdom turns into self-deception
There are people who consider themselves “thinkers,” but their thinking is merely a mechanism for self-affirmation. They do not create thoughts — they seek confirmation of their existing ones. They read not to understand, but to find evidence of their own righteousness.
Such “intellectual narrow-mindedness” is difficult to recognize when evaluating oneself. Because it hides behind clever words and the conviction that you know. These people may be educated, erudite, even excellent debaters — but they are incapable of true reason because they do not trust their own minds enough to question them.
When a person is convinced that they understand everything, they stop thinking. They start reacting instead of analyzing.
Reason as a mirror
Reason is not a game of the mind. It is a mirror in which a person looks at themselves and sees their thoughts in action. It is a process in which you observe how you arrive at conclusions that influence your perception and why you believe what you believe.
Most people avoid using this mirror because it is ugly — it shows not only thoughts, but also prejudices, fears, and ego. That is precisely why thinking is uncomfortable. It requires you to admit that you are not always as smart as you think you are.
A sensible person does not always try to be right. And that means examining your thoughts, admitting mistakes, and looking for counterarguments. Not to humiliate yourself, but to get closer to the truth.
Thinking as responsibility
Thinking is not an automatic function, it is a choice. Every time you let your emotions, habits, or algorithms think for you, you give up your reason.
People use social networks, comment, argue, quote “authoritative” sources — but rarely does anyone ask themselves one simple question: “Do I really understand what I’m talking about?” This question is the dividing line between a mechanical and a conscious reaction of the mind.
Intellect allows you to speak loudly. Reason makes you shut up and think.
Freedom to think
Freedom of thought is not the ability to say what you think, but the ability to think what you say. And only those who understand their mind, rather than just using it, are capable of this.
Reason is the most important function of a human being, but also the least used. It is not easy to be responsible — to yourself, to your thoughts, and to the world.
The next time you think you are “smart,” ask yourself: are you really thinking — or just repeating what others have taught you to think?