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Attaining the Wisdom of the Old Sages
April 5th, 2025
Writing to you from Denver, Colorado
Generations of people - young and old - used to be closely connected and cohesive.
The success of the each civilization depended on a collaborative effort and transferring of skills from those who - because their age - had at least some skill and knowledge to pass on to the younger generations.
But, more importantly, the wisdom that came from the elders was unmatched…
If you were seeking to know about how to live life well, what to value, and how to act in the world as a man (or woman) - you would find someone much older than you who not only had wisdom, but wanted to impart it to you.
Why?
Because they wanted to see you succeed.
Competition
That connection between the young and old is, at least generally, lost today.
The young are thought of as stupid and foolish. Meanwhile the old are thought of as a bunch of bumbling farts who managed to dodge death one too many times.
What has caused this?
Well, I think an explanation for that would go over a list of things, but to put it simply, it’s a slow and steady divide between generations.
The necessary wisdom needed to live a good life hasn’t been given to those, for example, in my generation (Gen Z). But, to make matters worse, the disconnect from the older generations causes us to look among the exact people we are in competition with for guidance.
Our peers.
The race is on and as new generations ascend to adulthood they (or we, I should say) are aiming to secure a good position in life. Usually, this means making it to the top of one hierarchy or another.
This is fine. It’s natural.
The question is, what do foolish and unguided people do when racing for the top?
They kick people down, destroy reputations, scheme, and bleed people dry. “Whatever I’ve got to do to get to the top”, they say. Not to mention, they don’t even know if the path they are taking is worth going down in the long run. So, looking to your peers for what to do isn’t the way.
What then, do we need to do to succeed?
The Old Sages
There are still plenty of older and wise people who have lived their lives, do not see younger generations as competition, have an understanding of what it means to live a good life, and want to help younger people become successful.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet a few.
Over time it’s become incredibly clear that there is a relatively simple way to have something you really do need: the aid of old sages, guides, mentors…whatever you want to call them.
It all comes down to differentiation.
The truth is, young people have always been stupid, foolish, and stubborn. We are often unwilling to listen, lazy in our action, and our character is poor beyond belief.
Who would waste their time on that?
But, if you put sincere effort into becoming a better person by bringing consistent productive action to the table, continuously choose to thrust yourself out into the world to test your metal, and do the things that a good man would do…something incredible happens.
The wise sages will flock to you.
The burdens you bear to craft a successful life are now lightened by people who once carried them themselves.
To help you succeed, they aren’t going to hold your hand and walk you down a path. No, what’s the good in that? They will drop hints, give you clues, and offer you unimaginable opportunities.
So, get out of the crowd of peers, differentiate yourself, and they will come.
-Maxim Benjamin Smith
It would be impossible to quantify all the value older generations have brought to my life.
And I happily do my part with those that follow me. It’s energizing to encounter a young man making waves in the world. We can’t help but root for them and provide aid when we think it will help.
Btw, Masako Ganaha from Japan is similar. Since she was young she preferred spending time with much older people, and she reads old books constantly. Brilliant Masako.