Intelligencia

If a person actually had the intelligence the writers of dictionaries ascribe to mankind in general ("a fast-moving stupidity-wave?"), he would not need, nor want to, study the writings of those humans who've already passed away, regardless of their oft-reported level of attainment, unless he wanted to become a scientist - someone who studies physical/material matters of any and all kinds - wherein the primary rule seems to be: "why re-invent the wheel?" (based upon the correct idea: you don't have enough time to "catch-up")

But if a person wanted to know about non-scientific, non-material matters - like awareness, consciousness, awakening, enlightenment, liberation, psychology, philosophy, etc., etc., including the all-inclusive "What makes me and humanity tick?" - "inventing the wheel" is your only choice, as there are no wheels that you can utilize in there (or can even insert in there) - between the ears -you have to invent your own, and then you have to learn to ride them to actually "go anywhere."

The nay-sayers who, in their assumed cleverness and intelligence reply: "There is no where to go, and no one to go there, and no there in any case" (blah, blah, blah), or "Hey, they're time-honored methods - that's gotta make 'em good, doesn't it?" (yada, yada, yada), say that because they themselves have never gone anywhere other than where external forces have pushed them, and getting older, and feebler, have simply given up - and now can only talk about what their heroes talked about (blah, blah, and yada, yada).

Funny thing about "inventing" wheels, and then "learning" to ride them, and then "going somewhere new" - you can only describe in the most general of terms, what works for you, and what works for you only works when it >>did<<, and then it's time to invent something new, so you're always in a mode - when you (almost literally are coerced to) discuss such things - of describing that which you've already surpassed, gone beyond, and "outgrown".

When you can't invent on your own, discuss prior inventions of others, and complain about and criticize others who discuss them -that, is the primary rule of the general population on planet earth, who need to read the dictionary more often, and try to apply what they read.