19: The Wisdom Pyramid

On today’s show, Chong and Dan continue discussing the book “The Wisdom Pyramid” by Christian author Brett McCracken. We begin by distinguishing information (which we covered in the previous episode) from wisdom, and note how the latter is about the practical - doing, applying, discerning and living well. We then examine each layer of Brett’s pyramid, starting from the foundational aspect (the Bible) and working our way up. Along the way we share our personal experiences and failings, and present some challenges and exhortations for our listeners.

Note: we experienced some technical difficulties that reduced the quality of our recording, apologies in advance!

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Show notes

What is wisdom? (5:02)

• There is a practical aspect to wisdom - it’s not just about knowing, it’s knowing and doing 
• “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad” - Brian O’Driscoll

The Wisdom Pyramid (13:34)

• Summary - the Bible, church, nature & beauty, books, the Internet, social media
• Connection to time - from timeless to ephemeral

The Bible (16:32)

• A foundational worldview is essential for wisdom
• Challenge for listeners of all backgrounds - ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do?”

The church (community) (28:58)

• Being in a community can be painful, but the pain is the point - “Iron sharpens iron”, Proverbs 27:17
• We are embodied and embedded, committing to a community brings wisdom

Nature and beauty (41:07)

• Nature and beauty as windows to the divine and transcendent
• They take us out of the immediate and out of ourselves

The rest (54:02)

• Books can provide a timeless perspective
• Internal and social media - one is useful, almost indispensable (but use with caution); the other is pure dessert

Conclusion (1:03:13)

• Dan’s recommendation - read one quality fictional book this year
• Chong’s recommendation - read the gospels of Jesus (start with the Gospel of John)