Nigerian music producer and executive ID Cabasa has challenged the common belief that getting older automatically makes someone wiser. Speaking on a recent episode of The Clarity Zone podcast, the 50-year-old said that experience alone does not guarantee wisdom.
He explained that wisdom should be measured by competence and sound judgment, not simply by the number of years a person has lived or the experiences they have accumulated. “The assumption that the older you get, the wiser you are is an assumption that has never been true,” Cabasa said.
The producer clarified that older people can indeed be wise, but age alone should not be the standard. He argued that many individuals believe they are wiser simply because they have more experience, yet much of that experience may no longer be relevant.
Cabasa emphasized the importance of personal growth, stating, “If you are growing as a person, there is a tendency that as you get older, you are going to be wiser. But that isn’t the case if you are not growing but just ageing.”
He also highlighted how younger generations, such as those familiar with technology from birth, can sometimes surpass older individuals in knowledge and skill. “We are dealing with a generation that came with computer OS, but you learned how to use a computer. So, we need to be careful not to demand respect only on the basis of age,” he said.
ID Cabasa’s comments urge people to rethink the traditional link between age and wisdom, advocating that respect and authority should be earned through competence and adaptability rather than automatically granted.
His perspective serves as a reminder that personal development and staying relevant are key to true wisdom, not simply the passage of time.
