the wise and the foolish

There's a saying that I think most folks take in a romantic vein, as though it were a good thing and that is, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread". This saying rather gives the impression that to be righteous and pure is to be a spineless weakling and to be an ignorant, self-willed idiot is brave (and gets the girl or the guy).

I would point out two other sayings, from the wisest man who ever lived that was not Diety. The first is, "A wise person sees evil and hides himself, but the foolish go on and are punished for it". The other is, "Teach a wise person, and he will be wiser still". Both of these proverbs seem too self-evident and obvious to even be considered wisdom, yet how much pain in the world is caused by people who are fools. In other words, those that take absolutely no responsibility for what they do, who do not reason out consequences or even think about them, who are so oblivious to danger and evil they simple keep going thinking they will be ok. Never mind what may happen to anyone else in their path while they insist on continuing in their foolishness. The second proverb implies by deduction that the fool cannot be taught.

The nut of this all is that the fool finds himself a law to himself and righteous within himself (or herself). Their pride causes the oblivion that keeps them going when humility and self-awareness would stop them. The same wise man also said "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom". This fear is outside of oneself, an understanding of, and respect for Something greater in the universe than the individual. I suppose then, the wise fear for good reason and the fool rushes due to their unawareness and therefore lack of respect of that Something greater than themselves. I don't think I'd want to be in the path of such a person.