Curiosity can be one of the best traits to have. But only if it is balanced with an interest in using what one learns.
You might share the knowledge you gain, like a good teacher, or perhaps use the gained knowledge to generate new things, like an inventor. Even archiving the knowledge in a library, eases its dissemination to others who can use it.
Curiosity can be as simple as the impulse to turn over rocks washed by the tide at the beach. Or as complex as taking apart a watch – and then trying to put it back together.
Curiosity without direction isn’t like a fine wine or cheese; it doesn’t age well, sitting in our brains unused. Let your curiosity spark further exploration.
But most of all, curiosity can give direction to our lives. If you are curious, be grateful that you have a character-defining skill and trait that will take you to interesting places and enrich your life.
Discover more from Louis N. Carreras, Woodcarver
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I can totally relate to this
One of the things I noticed at the end of my teaching career (and contributed to the end of my teaching career) was that students no longer had much curiosity. I put that down to standardized testing which made wrong answer anathema rather than what they should be — a chance to find out, to learn something. When the generations of kids started showing up who were afraid to try something new because they might fail, I knew my philosophy and methodology were both obsolete. Post adolescents should be all over it, “Let me do it” but that changed.
Your comment reminded me of something from the martial arts called beginner’s mind. It’s that sort of feeling that you can do anything without restrictions. Not only do they lack curiosity they have to know all the rules too before they play – no sense of discovery or wonder.