Curiosity is an important faculty of a human being. But over a period of time we give it up. This post is a curiosity-quest over the reason why have we buried our old curiosity shop.
As children we are naturally curious. Psychologists have found that this faculty is an “innate human behaviour” but is not ingrained as our instincts. This leaves us with a choice to give up our curious selves when we want to.And we have quite successful at that.
Why do kindergarten-children literally despise going to school ? Now, one may argue that there are a lot of factors for this, however the child at home is “free” to be curious about what ever they choose: But at school it is “formal” education. I feel that a curiosity-oriented education is just blossoming around the corner. Yet, it may take years before it is widespread. Moreover “formal” education is about having a fixed “pattern” to accomplish things: Fixed Question and Fixed Answers. Curiosity is also about moving in a “lateral” direction to find “some” facts.
Interestingly a child goes about being curious for the simple pleasure of learning, unlike adults. We choose to be curious only if there is a “carrot” waiting for us at the end. We take it on like a task that needs to meet some pre-defined end (or goal).
One of the virtues of being very young is that you don’t let the facts get in the way of your imagination. - Sam Levenson
As adults we search for “fixed” answers, as children we flow with our natural learning.
Why do we seek out “fixed” answers? As adults, we understand time is short. So we need to quickly understand this life around us and “control” it. We need a Quick-Fix to our problems. We gradually come to equate curiosity with “fantasy-thinking”and/or being “inquisitive”. Fantasy, we feel takes us away on pleasure trip away from our problems. And we hate people who are “inquisitive”. This same hate we pass on to our children when we find them curious (which we interpret as inquisitive).
Don’t we easily take for granted the phrase “curiosity killed the cat” and literally apply it to our lives? If we do then let us be curious of how and why we choose to do so.
Lets not murder the cat for now !
In my next post I will like to explore this subject in relation to success and motivation.
Happy Reading!
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