by Marty Alan McGill

Created on: March 25, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

The role of intelligence in modern society is the same as it's always been. Since the beginning of time, certain individuals have been better studies than their peers. Some progressed as leaders, and admirable souls, while others discovered greed. There's a need for a certain amount of intelligence, however too much is not necessarily a good thing.

Intelligence without wisdom is worthless. I personally know more than a few educated idiots, you can teach anyone almost anything, but without common sense, all the degrees and certificates on your wall are nothing more than dead pine trees. Online education has become too accessible, and is creating a class of "constant learners".

We don't need smart people in this society, we need thinkers. We need those who think outside of the box. People who think about things other than their own welfare, thinking about how they should be adding something to society rather than taking. Educating yourself for you're own benefit is not really learning at all.

I know so many young people who are chasing degrees because they want to make more money. I have a high school education and I can make more in one day than a lot of people can make in a week. Some of the most successful and happy people in the world are uneducated, that's always been the case.

I could be wealthy if I wanted to spend fourteen hours a day working. I choose to spend all the time I can doing pleasurable things, and working within the church. I just turned around and discovered I was forty-eight years old, somehow time has began slipping away at an alarming rate.

I know there is an important role for intelligence in certain areas of society, science, medicine, product development, etc. And I am glad that there are people who are willing to do these things, for we must move forward.

But if you are stretching yourself thin to gain knowledge in search of a few more bucks, you are learning nothing. If you are spending more time at work and school than combined playtime and rest, you are wasting your life away. You need to strike a balance between mind and soul and learn to live while you are alive.

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