Knowledge vs. Wisdom

Living in this world, it becomes very hard to differentiate between knowledge and wisdom. In a technological society, we start to convince ourselves that science provides us with all the answers. But does science really lead us to a better future? If we think of all the progress over the past decades/cent- uries, we can see that our standard of living has improved, resources are used efficiently, communication is better, and so on. But what about the more fundamental problems of dissatisfaction, distress, and unfulfilled desires? No matter how good the economy is, no matter how much money people are making, there are no guarantees of happiness and peace. While advances in technology may improve the material standard of life, only advances in self study can provide enduring improvements in mental balance. Knowledge, then, explains why things are, but wisdom explains why you are. Wisdom cannot be acquired via books and lectures; only consistent and arduous introspection can shed light upon the subtleties of our existence. Meditation is a tool to examine ourselves.