In a recent survey of 212 individuals aged 35-55 (mostly Generation X with a few Millennials and Boomers as book ends) they were asked to identify who they consider to be “one of the wisest people in the world.” While it was difficult for some of them to respond to such an open-ended question, the majority were able to identify someone they believed to be wise and to share their thoughts about personal wisdom. In fact many of their answers mirrored the responses of 18-35 year olds who answered this same question in my wisdom survey.
Here is a brief breakdown of what was shared with me.
Humanitarians, Social Activists, Religious and Political Leaders-43% of respondents
While this was the most popular category for both my Millennial and Gen X respondents, the latter group was 65% more likely to name a religious figure or even Jesus /God as their determination of the “wisest person.” This was in contrast to the 18-35 year olds who had a more even distribution between humanitarians, social activists, religious and political leaders in their responses.
Here are the people who were specifically named by Gen X in order of their frequency from highest to lowest:
Dalai Lama*–for his compassion, peacefulness, speaking up about injustice and recognizing our inter-connectedness
Barack Obama*–for his balanced approach to problem solving, being respectful of diversity, and making difficult decisions with grace
Pope Francis*--for being a bridge builder between traditional wisdom and real life modern issues, committed to servant leadership and reaching out to new audiences
Maya Angelou*–for overcoming personal tragedy to inspire others with her balanced worldview and positive perspective
Martin Luther King*–for the ability to balance strong principles and achieve practical results with a non-violent response to injustice
Mother Teresa*–for uplifting humanity through her practice of non-judgement, compassion and humility
Nelson Mandela*–for persevering in the face of adversity and demonstrating generosity of spirit
Mahatma Gandhi—for his ability to see truth through fear, stress and anger
Pema Chodron—for her teachings on impermanence and non-attachment and how to practice mindfulness in daily life
*Indicates they were also named by 18-35 year olds in this category
The Elders and Work Influences-21% of respondents
While a small percentage of individuals in this category spoke about “elders” in general or being inspired by a supervisor or CEO of their company, the majority of them expressed learning something valuable from their parents and grandparents. Some were deeply impressed with family members who possessed little or no formal education yet demonstrated wise action and integrity in their life decisions. Others were grateful for the perspective offered by parents who had overcome challenges and were still able to offer a supportive listening ear.
Some of the sentiments above were similar to those expressed by the Millennials; however, the Gen X respondents also articulated the importance of passing on knowledge to the next generation. One man in particular, shared gratitude for his stepfather who “knows just about everything” and taught him skills “so I may teach my sons someday.”
Business Leaders, Celebrities and Authors—17% of respondents
The person mentioned most frequently in this category was Oprah Winfrey, who was acknowledged for being a life-long learner who is willing to share with others what she has learned through deeply listening to people. She was also identified as an intelligent business woman, who is reflective and intentional in her work. The only other business leader making it to the list from Gen X was Warren Buffet. He was recognized by two respondents for his ability to make excellent business choices by selecting actions in the present that predict future results, and for donating a considerable portion of his wealth to charitable causes.
It is interesting to note that in this category the younger generation more frequently acknowledged business leaders and celebrities as wise, while Gen X listed authors and speakers. They appreciated the sharing of knowledge and experience in the areas of science, human behavior and spirituality.
Here is a list of their endorsements in alphabetical order: Dale Carnegie, Noam Chomsky, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Dwayne Dyer, Tim Ferriss, Natalie Goldberg, Louise Hay, Sue Monk Kidd, Michelle Obama, Mary Oliver, Trey Parker, Oliver Saks, Tony Robbins, SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) Eckert Tolle, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Neale Donald Walsch.
The Unnamed—12% of respondents
The respondents who were unable to name “just one person,” as wise seemed to be looking for the perfect role model who had the ability to listen deeply and would “seek to understand “your viewpoint. They didn’t share a common list of characteristics for someone who is wise like the 18-35 year olds did. However, they did point out that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that there were many kinds of wisdom. They wanted “everyday humans” to work together to reduce suffering and to take care of our community, and they acknowledged that financial resources were needed to accomplish this.
Other Friends and Family Members—7% of respondents
This is perhaps my favorite category because it reveals the importance of our personal connections and the potential we all have to influence our friends and family members. My Gen X respondents acknowledged:
- A spouse for being a good thinker
- Siblings for patient support and listening “without casting judgment”
- Friends for sharing their vulnerability, honesty, compassion, perspective and “the best advice of anyone I know”
- Young children for their example of living from a state of intuition, curiosity, creativity and trust
Overall, the responses of 36-55 year olds to the first question in my wisdom survey revealed similar patterns to the answers expressed by 18-35 year olds.
The next area of inquiry is: Does Gen X consider themselves to be wise? Click here to find out.