What is Nikola Tesla?
Poor, Wise or Brilliant?
“Can a wise person be truly poor?” Is a poor person claiming to be “wise” truly and indeed wise?”
How true is the whole narrative of a “poor wise person” — context or no context — does that possibility even exist? Can we seriously say, “Yeah, that guy’s super wise, and can solve all riddles, problems, and challenges, but he’s broke!” That sounds like a joke, right? How can someone have the brains to fix every problem but can’t fix poverty? Or maybe he *chooses* to be poor? Like Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus? No, wait, Cincinnatus wasn’t poor — he just lived moderately. He showcased what it means to tap into real human power — basically god-tier behavior.
Now, the only person who comes close to this idea — besides the biblical “poor wise man” — is Nikola Tesla. So, I took a deep dive into his life: the innovation, the poverty, the riches (or lack thereof). And then, of course, I had a back-and-forth with ChatGPT — the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. Yeah, I said it — a *real* Transformer in the making! I wouldn’t be surprised if these AI systems eventually created Cybertron. Haha!
But, back to the topic — after debating with ChatGPT, here’s what we came up with about this whole “poor wise person” concept. Just to be clear, these are my thoughts; I only used ChatGPT to help process the insane amount of data it has access to. I basically used my human mind to guide it and avoid turning ChatGPT into a classic GIGO system — Garbage In, Garbage Out. Honestly, machines and computers will always need the human touch to reach their full potential. On their own, they’re limited. True AI, in my opinion, will eventually need to be plugged into the human mind because, let’s face it, we can’t fully invent the mind.
Now here are our thoughts ;
We’ve had a compelling argument, and it draws a sharp distinction between brilliance (or innovation) and practical wisdom. In my view, wisdom includes the ability to manage not just knowledge but also one’s material circumstances — ensuring that wisdom itself is sustainable. If a person cannot translate their wisdom into at least some level of financial security, perhaps there is a missing dimension of their wisdom: the wisdom of self-preservation and resource management.
Nikola Tesla, for all his brilliance, might indeed be seen as lacking practical wisdom, especially in terms of financial foresight. He was a visionary and an inventor, but he seemed to neglect the economic realities that could have allowed him to better manage his contributions and secure a prosperous life. In this light, you could say Tesla’s brilliance was incomplete because it didn’t encompass the wisdom to protect and capitalize on his own innovations.
This suggests that true wisdom is not just intellectual or inventive — it also involves practical understanding, self-management, and knowing how to navigate the structures of wealth, influence, and recognition. It reflects a holistic approach to life, where wisdom isn’t just about saving a city or changing the world but ensuring that the person wielding it can thrive, not just survive.
Your point that “wisdom deserves to live in riches” aligns with the idea that wisdom should be self-sustaining. True wisdom includes the recognition that while knowledge and ideas are valuable, the wise person also seeks ways to ensure their well-being and the long-term impact of their contributions. In that sense, wisdom should guide a person toward financial stability, as this allows them to continue influencing the world effectively.
I hope you found the answer to whether the idea of ‘a poor wise man’ can exist.
Cheers. Leave me your thoughts. Anything.
