the wise man doesn’t need to say, “I am wise.”

he doesn’t need attention

in fact, he is so subtle

other people think, they came up with his ideas, on their own.

So, where is the motivation in being wise?

Perhaps, wisdom is a way to accomplish what you want

without getting in your own way.

This applies to accumulating wealth

friends

and avoiding bad decisions.

The wise person never says, “Look at all the good decisions I have made.”

It doesn’t enhance his position to talk about it

and those who claim self-promotion as a necessary evil

don’t understand the power of

getting others to talk about you,

instead of you, talking about yourself.

This is your reputation,

whether good or bad.

Your character

plants the seeds

in your precarious garden.

The need to feel superior, is different than being superior.

One, comes from arrogance, and the other, comes from humility.

In a sense…

the virtuous man doesn’t know he is virtuous

and the wise man doesn’t know he is wise.

These are not constant thoughts in his head.

He doesn’t worry about false humility.

He doesn’t worry about how people perceive him.

He acts from virtue

and not from attention, escape, or aggression.

It’s true

we are not angelic beings

we all have an ego

and those who claim otherwise

are the most dangerous.

Some would say, striving for a moral ideal

is a waste of time.

We should embrace

our human nature

but I believe

our human nature

can rise above

our animal nature

in the form of

unexpressed philosophy

like I am NOT doing here

and that is why

I say,

“These words might not be wise.”