If this is so then it means that no one can gain wisdom for us, and we should see it as a treasure which is not like the possession of something valuable in this world. The person who possesses diamonds does not become a diamond, nor would he want to. The diamond is to be enjoyed for its value as an object outside of ourselves. But wisdom is to be enjoyed because it becomes a part of us. We are no longer the same person when we have obtained wisdom. We have been changed by it and we now carry with us in all our thinking, in all our responses, something that helps us enormously in every aspect of life. It is like having our own personal tutor who goes around with us everywhere, only it is better than that because this tutor is ourselves. You become a stronger person, a more self-controlled person, a more understanding person. These are the things that the Christian can take with them from this life into the next.
But the same is true of the scorner. He is also changed by his scorning in a way that few who exercise scorn stop to think about. You become cynical, and you now find it hard to appreciate innocence. Suspicion erodes any trust you might have had, and you find it difficult to believe that anyone else is genuine. Because of that, good characteristics start to disappear from your universe. This is not a case of being clued up about human nature, and taking account of the fall. You no longer believe that such good characteristics exist anywhere, not even in God. You are at the mercy of your lusts. You become twisted. It settles your inner condition. You cannot escape from this condition because it is now the real you.