"Où est la sagesse que nous avons perdue dans la connaissance Où est la connaissance que nous avons perdue dans l'information"

The quote is a lament about our modern tendency to gather information without gaining true wisdom. It's like we’re caught in a cycle of consuming facts and figures, but missing the deeper understanding that makes them truly valuable.

Historically, T.S. Eliot penned this in the early 20th century, a time when the world was rapidly changing. The Industrial Revolution had brought about an explosion of information and knowledge. But amidst all these new discoveries and advancements, people were beginning to feel a sense of loss—of something deeper, more profound.

Think about how we use the internet today. We have access to more information than ever before, but do we really understand any of it better? Picture yourself scrolling through social media. You're bombarded with news articles, stats, and opinions. You might know a ton of what's happening around the world, but does it change how you act or think in a meaningful way? That's the crux of it. Wisdom is about knowing what to do with the information and knowledge you have.

Take the example of climate change. We have endless data about rising temperatures, carbon emissions, and melting ice caps—information we didn't even dream of having a century ago. But how many of us are truly wise about it? Are we making the lifestyle changes that reflect this knowledge? Sadly, often the answer is no. The disconnect here perfectly illustrates the point: we’re drowning in information, but starving for wisdom.

So how can we apply this idea to our daily lives? First, slow down. Seriously. In a world where we're always rushing to the next thing—next post, next notification, next big headline—we rarely take time to reflect. When you learn something new, ask yourself: What does this mean? How does it connect to what I already know? And most importantly, what should I do with this information?

Imagine you’re at a coffee shop with a friend, discussing the latest health trend. You both read up on it and find all sorts of conflicting information. Instead of just throwing your hands up in frustration, you take a step back. You think: What do I actually know about my own health? What have I learned from past experiences? You use this deeper understanding to sift through the noise and find a path that makes sense for you. That’s wisdom.

To bring this home, picture a young professional named Jamie. Jamie’s company is obsessed with data. They track everything—sales metrics, customer feedback, productivity stats. Jamie gets overwhelmed. There’s just so much information. But Jamie decides to take a different approach. Instead of just looking at the numbers, Jamie starts to ask questions about the bigger picture. Why are customers really unhappy? What patterns can be seen over time? Jamie’s insights lead to innovative solutions that purely data-driven approaches missed. Jamie’s boss notices, and Jamie gets promoted. Here, Jamie turned information into wisdom and made a real impact.

In the end, it’s about making connections and seeing the bigger picture. So next time you’re faced with a flood of information, don’t just absorb it—question it, seek deeper understanding, and apply it wisely. That’s how we find the wisdom we’ve lost in knowledge.