REVIEW: Dr. Laura Gabayan’s — Common Wisdom (BOOK)
Dr. Laura Gabayan’s new book is an eclectic fusion of intellectualism, and thinking man’s spirituality. “As a scientist, I needed more objectivity, so I created The Wisdom Research Project. My goal: to understand wisdom from a scientific perspective,” she writes, in a key section epitomizing what Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life is all about. “I developed a process in which I personally interviewed sixty adults, ages fifty to seventy-nine, in an attempt to determine what wisdom is and how we attain it.
LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauragabayan
Each person graciously shared their thoughts about wisdom, which I then analyzed using my research skills. The findings of the project are fascinating. Wisdom is a state of being — a mindset. From a librarian who lives in the smallest home in her neighborhood to a CEO of many companies, I discovered several commonalities in their approach to life, which I analyze and discuss in the following chapters. It was clear from my research that having wisdom is not related to accomplishments or wealth. It is a passion and love of life that results in meaning and depth. The findings of this project are both priceless and timeless.”
I really admire the daring nature of the book. Often, when intermixing left brain with right, there can be an inevitable tonal — if not out-and-out ideological clash. But Dr. Gabayan is able to balance this exquisite set of interviews with varied individuals, all through a clinical lens regarding something intangible. Simply put, what is their definition of wisdom? And then, from that, her expert opinion and analysis on their trajectory to wisdom. “Although I knew I wanted to study wisdom, I did not know how,” she writes. “So, I began reading the scientific literature about wisdom in various journals…(it) gave me a foundation for how to design my project and determine who could participate…Even though I didn’t yet know everything about wisdom, I knew how to design a research project…Over a seven-month span…I interviewed sixty candidates whom I called my ‘interviewees.’ Weekly, I met between two and five interviewees, asking ten open-ended questions (as shown below) over a minimum of fifteen minutes. Each interviewee was invited to nominate other people they knew who they considered wise, allowing the project to grow and continue.”
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Common-Wisdom-Scientific-Elements-Meaningful/dp/1956470913
Dr. Gabayan lists universal precepts each interviewee displayed, simply put: Resilience, Kindness, Positivity, Spirituality, Humility, Tolerance, Creativity, and Curiosity. “Each interviewee was found to have at least two themes. A majority had at least five themes, and only one person had all eight,” she writes. “…The Wisdom Research Project used scientific methods to determine that wisdom is a combination of eight primary elements that work together. These elements, which will be discussed at length in the following chapters, are resilience, kindness, positivity, spirituality, humility, tolerance, creativity, and curiosity.
Many of these elements may appear obvious, and others may be surprising, but after reading this book, you should be able to determine which of these elements you have mastered and which of these elements you can improve upon in a practical way.”
Colin Jordan
