Being "Merely Clever"
A while ago, I read about avoiding to be “merely clever.” I can’t quite remember where I read it, but it stuck with me for years. Isn’t cleverness admirable? Why would anyone describe someone as “merely clever”? What lies beyond cleverness? I thought deeply and laid out all the synonyms in my limited vocabulary: - cleverness - intelligence - smartness - knowledgeability - wisdom Another term immediately stood out: - being a “smart ass” Which would I prefer to be called—or not to be called? - merely clever? - a smart ass? I’d like to avoid both if possible, but given my current reputation, would people be more likely to say I’m a smart ass or merely clever? Probably a smart ass.. lol I think I can be arrogant and do irritate people with my argumentative style of conversation. But maybe it’s just because I don’t have anyone around me who’s in a position to call me “merely clever.” Wow, what a realisation.. Having just completed another 10-day Vipassana course recently,...