Wisdom: how to distinguish the important from the loud and live without self-deception

We live in a world of information noise, categorical judgments, and endless debates. It is easy to succumb to emotions, believe in fake news, or make hasty decisions. In such conditions, intelligence and knowledge often prove useless if they are not supported by something greater—wisdom.

In the concluding book of the cult series "Stoicism in the 21st Century," contemporary philosopher Ryan Holiday reflects on how to achieve wisdom—the main virtue without which all others do not work. Drawing on the stories of well-known figures—from Socrates and Marcus Aurelius to Donald Trump and Elon Musk—Holiday demonstrates: wisdom is not given at birth and does not come with age; it is a skill that is formed through doubt and constant self-improvement.