How to Read “The supremely wise and the deeply foolish do not change”
jōchi to kagu to wa utsurazu
Meaning of “The supremely wise and the deeply foolish do not change”
This proverb means that the wisest people and the most foolish people never change their fundamental nature. Most people in the middle can grow and change through effort and environment.
But those at both extremes stay the same. Even with education or experience, their basic character remains unchanged.
This saying is used when talking about people’s essential character or abilities. For example, it describes someone who refuses to learn no matter how much you teach them.
Or it describes someone who learns and grows on their own no matter what. The proverb points out this unchanging essence in people.
People use this expression to recognize both human diversity and human limits. It accepts the reality that not everyone can change in the same way.
Yet it also suggests that most people do have the potential to grow. Today, it’s understood as one perspective for understanding individual qualities and aptitudes.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb likely comes from the Analects of Confucius, specifically the “Yang Huo” chapter. The original phrase “唯上知与下愚不移” spoken by Confucius is considered the source.
“Jōchi” means the wisest person, while “kagu” means the most foolish person. “Utsurazu” means does not change. Confucius was a thinker who deeply contemplated human nature, and this phrase captures his view of humanity.
What’s interesting is that Confucius said this despite being someone who believed in the power of education. Actually, Confucius thought most people could grow through education.
But at the same time, he recognized the reality that people at both extremes are difficult to change. He understood this truth about human nature.
This phrase came to Japan and became established as a proverb probably during the Edo period when Confucianism spread widely. As the samurai class studied the Analects extensively, they accepted it as a phrase describing human essence.
Even today, it remains a weighty proverb used when discussing people’s fundamental nature.
Usage Examples
- That person is like “the supremely wise and the deeply foolish do not change” – no matter what you teach them, they won’t change their ways
- She has natural talent, and like “the supremely wise and the deeply foolish do not change,” she can do anything without even trying
Universal Wisdom
The truth this proverb speaks is the undeniable fact of human diversity. We hold up the ideal of equality, yet we know that each person is born with different qualities.
Why has this saying been passed down for over two thousand years? Because educators and leaders have repeatedly faced this reality. Even when taught the same way, people understand at different speeds and depths.
What’s easy for one person can remain an eternal mystery for another. This is simply how things are.
But the real wisdom of this proverb isn’t about giving up. Rather, it implies that people at both extremes are the minority. Most people are those who “do change.”
In other words, most people have the potential for growth and change. This is the hopeful message hidden within.
Human society is complex precisely because of this diversity. There are geniuses, there are ordinary people, and each plays a different role.
This proverb teaches us both the importance of recognizing human differences and hope for the potential that most people possess. It offers both realism and optimism.
When AI Hears This
In thermodynamics, matter tries to settle into the most stable state with the lowest energy. For example, ice maintains a highly ordered crystal structure below zero degrees.
Water vapor exists in a disordered state with molecules flying around randomly. Both are most stable at their respective temperatures and don’t naturally change easily.
Human intelligence might have the same structure. People with the highest intelligence have highly organized thought circuits and efficient information processing systems. Meanwhile, extremely simplified thinking is also stable in its own way.
Not thinking about complex things is a low-energy state that uses almost no energy. Like crystals and gas both requiring large amounts of energy for phase transitions, escaping from extreme intelligence states is difficult.
What’s interesting is the middle layer. Just as liquid water easily becomes ice or vapor with temperature changes, intermediate intelligence states have free energy for change.
They can move up through learning or down through laziness. In physics, matter between stable states changes most easily. In human society too, many people with ambition come from the middle class.
This might relate to this thermodynamic flexibility.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is practical wisdom about how to relate to others. Trying to change everyone in the same way can sometimes be wasted effort.
We need to recognize people’s essential nature and accept it. This is an important truth.
This perspective becomes especially important in education and human development. Understanding each person’s qualities and aptitudes, and approaching them in suitable ways, is crucial.
Rather than forcing people into molds, finding ways to utilize their characteristics is a more constructive approach.
At the same time, this proverb teaches the importance of knowing yourself. If you are someone who “does change,” your potential for growth is unlimited.
By understanding which parts of yourself can change through effort and which core parts are harder to change, you can see a more effective path for self-growth.
Recognize human diversity and believe in your own potential. This balance is the warm yet realistic message this proverb gives to those of us living today.
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