You're right to an extent, but if the deep thinker also has a bit of cop-on/common sense(something intellectuals often lack) he'll realise that the answer to the big questions are, often imperceptibly, reached through an interminably winding series of small issues. A bit like a tricky maths problem in that if you just look at it as one big problem without delineating it you'll quickly get flustered at the impossibility of reaching a solution. Similarly, if you start asking yourself 'what is my place in life' and expect a signposted route to a clear-cut answer, granted you are showing a capacity to think on a reasonably deep level, but there is a lack of focus and understanding as to the vast complexity inherent with any such 'big' question. Thus, my thesis conclusion would be that a deep thinker without comparative realism and pragmatism is in a precarious position, much worse than the reasonably successful fella who happily ambles along unconcerned with the big questions, and also worse than the thick stupid guy Risteard envies. How sweet blissful ignorance must be! I suppose the point is that if we think and realise something is going wrong but don't have the wherewithal to do anything about it, or don't have a broad perspective on it to appreciate it isn't really a problem, we're a bit fooked.
By the way, I don't think financial wealth is a great parameter to use here as we tend to assume that happiness/fulfillment is a corollary. Like people who, I feel misguidedly, choose a certain career as it will lead to an enviable salary or status, and not because they think it is what they are best suited for(and hence what they should get the most pleasure out of). Of course, some will be happy just because they are rich, they are obviously likely to be intelligent, in some form, but generally lack, not necessarily to their detriment, a deep thinking competence.
I tend to fall into the former category. So now I know what to look for in my wife! Together, we will conquer the world
(*
Apologies if I don't make sense, I just typed what I was thinking, definitely not from a book!!)
Quote
Originally Posted by kingdom hoop
You're right to an extent, but if the deep thinker also has a bit of cop-on/common sense(something intellectuals often lack) he'll realise that the answer to the big questions are, often imperceptibly, reached through an interminably winding series of small issues. A bit like a tricky maths problem in that if you just look at it as one big problem without delineating it you'll quickly get flustered at the impossibility of reaching a solution. Similarly, if you start asking yourself 'what is my place in life' and expect a signposted route to a clear-cut answer, granted you are showing a capacity to think on a reasonably deep level, but there is a lack of focus and understanding as to the vast complexity inherent with any such 'big' question. Thus, my thesis conclusion would be that a deep thinker without comparative realism and pragmatism is in a precarious position, much worse than the reasonably successful fella who happily ambles along unconcerned with the big questions, and also worse than the thick stupid guy Risteard envies. How sweet blissful ignorance must be! I suppose the point is that if we think and realise something is going wrong but don't have the wherewithal to do anything about it, or don't have a broad perspective on it to appreciate it isn't really a problem, we're a bit fooked.
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