Consulting Others

One might expect that a wise person to whom people come for advice would rely on his own wisdom and not feel a need to consult others. Whereas a fool should realize he frequently makes mistakes and should therefore seek counsel from others before taking action.

In reality, it is just the opposite. The wise person, though justified in relying on his own judgment, nevertheless listens to the advice of others. He realizes his biases and prejudices might cause him to make errors in his own matters. The fool, however, who should realize how often he makes mistakes, considers himself wise and does not listen to what others have to say.