Cult of Genius Today

Intelligence isn’t fixed—it’s evolving. What we once called intelligence is now outdated. As the world changes, so does our understanding of what it means to be smart, wise, or even human. True intelligence isn’t about knowing facts; it’s about being able to learn, unlearn, and relearn.

In every era, the process of life, the structure of society, and the tools we use change. So intelligence must change too. Staying updated is the only way to stay relevant. Those who cling to what they know become rigid and left behind. Those who remain curious and flexible, keep growing.

What Is Intelligence? What Is Wisdom?

At its core, intelligence means understanding structure, process, and operation—how things really work.

Wisdom means knowing how to apply that understanding in meaningful, ethical, and beneficial ways.

A fool is not just someone who lacks knowledge. A fool is someone who doesn’t understand how things work—or doesn’t want to update their understanding when the process itself changes.

But if the process changes, then intelligence must evolve too. And today, we are living in such a shift. The structures of life—business, communication, society, success—are all changing. That’s why our definition of intelligence and wisdom must also evolve.

Most people believe they already know enough. But this is the biggest mistake. When someone thinks they have “arrived,” they stop learning. They lose humility. They lose curiosity. And they become outdated.

Why Do Older People Often Become Rigid?

You may have observed this in your own family—older people often become rigid. Why? Because once, they were decision-makers. People sought their advice. But now, in this fast-changing world, no one listens to them. That disconnect and loss of power creates frustration. It’s not age—it’s outdated thinking that causes this gap.

If they had updated their wisdom, they would still feel connected. So it’s not a problem of age—it’s a problem of inflexibility.

The Intelligence and Wisdom of Today’s Era

So, what defines the new intelligence? It’s not just book knowledge or logic. Today’s intelligence is defined by five evolving human capacities:

1. Emotional Awareness
2. Emotional Intelligence
3. Vision
4. Taste
5. Agency

1. Emotional Awareness

This means being deeply aware of your emotions—what you feel, why you feel it, and how to manage or shift it.

If you're emotionally aware, you adapt quickly. You can change your mindset. You don’t get stuck. You realize everything is temporary and artificial. You don’t become a slave to your emotions.

This awareness leads to self-mastery. You take better decisions, you remain stable during chaos, and you grow faster.

But emotional awareness doesn’t come automatically. It comes through spiritual insight and meditation. Real spirituality is not worship—it’s knowing yourself. You need to become your own student and master.

I learned this from Osho. I’m not an official disciple—I call myself a self-disciple. His teachings changed my life. Meditation is like cooking. You need ingredients first—those ingredients are spiritual wisdom.

So if you want to become emotionally aware, study philosophy, science, psychology—read deeply, reflect honestly. Understand the mind, human nature, and nature itself.

2. Emotional Intelligence

Once you know how to manage your own emotions, the next step is managing your relationships and interactions with others.

This is emotional intelligence. It helps you understand why others behave a certain way and how not to take things personally.

For example, if someone criticizes you, instead of arguing or reacting, you realize—they’re operating from limited understanding. You don’t take it seriously.

So, emotional awareness is managing yourself. Emotional intelligence is managing others. Both are connected—and essential.

3. Vision

Vision means having imagination. It means seeing a better version of the future—for yourself, your family, your community, or even the world.

Our reality is not fixed. It can be changed. But it needs people who can see what doesn’t exist yet and work to create it.

Without vision, you just repeat the same cycles. With vision, you innovate, build, and uplift others.

4. Taste

Taste means knowing what is meaningful, beautiful, and ethical. It’s your inner compass that guides your choices.

Taste is deeply linked to emotional awareness. When you understand the emotions and dignity of others, you don’t hurt them. You don’t exclude someone because of their caste or status.

Philosophy is important here. It teaches you how a human should live. My philosophy is: every human is divine. There is no high or low. There is no superior or inferior.

This is the wisdom of tomorrow: deep ethics, deep humanity.

5. Agency

Agency means knowing how to get things done in the real world. It’s practical knowledge—how to build things, run operations, solve problems, manage money, use tools, work with people.

You can have ideas, dreams, and values—but without agency, you’ll struggle to bring them to life.

There’s a beautiful concept called the Triple Threat:

• Entrepreneur – the one with vision and ideas.
• Manager – the one who can organize things: money, people, operations.
• Technician – has two meanings:

• One who can do the work. For example, if you run a business, you should understand how the product is made or how the service is delivered.
• One who understands technology—because today, tech is the biggest leverage. You can create massive value from just a laptop.

In the early stage of any venture, you may not afford a big team. So you need a basic understanding of all three roles. You don’t have to master all of them—but if you don’t know anything, you’ll end up hiring the wrong people.

And remember: if you hire donkeys, they’ll bring your vision down.

Machines Are Rising—Be More Human

Today, machines are everywhere. AI, automation, tools—they’re replacing jobs and systems.

But one thing machines cannot do is be human.

When machines get cheap, humans get expensive.

If you study or work like a machine, your job will be replaced by a machine. But if you develop what machines can’t—your emotional intelligence, vision, creativity, and wisdom—you become irreplaceable.

This is why personal brands are rising. People who understand other humans—who can speak to emotions, solve human problems—are the celebrities of this era.

Learn the art, science, and math of being human. That’s the only way forward.

The Spiritual Dimension

People who have developed deep emotional awareness and emotional intelligence have always been celebrated in human history. Buddha, Mahavir, Osho, Krishna, Jesus, Muhammad ibn Abdullah—these were not divine beings, but deeply aware individuals. They were human, just like us, but they understood how life works. They mastered the process of living, thinking, and being.

But here’s one of the biggest mistakes many people make: they become followers instead of becoming like the people they admire.

You can follow someone’s teachings, but spirituality doesn’t work by imitation alone. If I eat, your hunger won’t disappear. Similarly, if someone else meditates, prays, or reflects—it doesn’t bring clarity to your own life.

That’s why I say: don’t just follow great minds—become one. I’m not a follower of Osho. I consider myself a disciple. And to me, that means I work every day to grow into the awareness he lived with. You can do the same. You can become like Buddha, like Osho, like any awakened soul—because they were simply humans who chose to awaken.

And the deeper purpose? Not just to evolve yourself—but to help others evolve too.

In final thought

• Intelligence is changing—stay updated.
• Don’t cling to old knowledge—stay curious.
• Develop emotional awareness and emotional intelligence.
• Build vision and taste.
• Gain real-world agency.

The future belongs to humans who know how to think, feel, and build wisely. And next week, I’ll share how I practice meditation—the methods, the mindset, and the philosophy behind it.

Until then, remember this: You are not fixed. You are not finished. You are just beginning.