#379. How to Get the Wisdom of Old Age Now | Dilip Jeste

Happiness levels are really high when we’re young. They then steadily dip through our 20s, 30s, and 40s, and bottom out in early 50s, at which point they make a sudden and sharp rise. And through our 60s, 70s, and 80s, they are way above where we were in our youth. 

Why is this? Why do we get happier even as our bodies are falling apart? Here’s another question: why, from the standpoint of evolution, do humans stick around way past the point of reproductive age? 

The answer to all of these questions, per our guest today, is: wisdom. 

Dr. Dilip Jeste is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, San Diego, and the author of Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good. 

In this conversation, we talk about how exactly he defines wisdom, what people of all ages can do to become wiser now, and the relationship between wisdom and loneliness.

Content Warnings: conversation includes references to sensitive topics, including suicide, substance abuse, and depression.

Technical note: you may hear some shifting and rustling at certain points in the recording. Just the nature of recording remotely in a pandemic. 

Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://app.tenpercent.com/link/download

Where to find Dilip Jeste online: 

Website: https://dilipjestemd.com/

Book Mentioned:

• Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Bhagavad Gita
• Mark Twain
• TPH Episode -  #238: You Don't Have to be Alone to be Lonely | Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy

Additional Resources:

• Ten Percent Happier Live: https://tenpercent.com/live
• Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide
• Free App access for Frontline Workers: https://tenpercent.com/care