#843 - Curiosity
"Most of the breakthrough discoveries and remarkable inventions throughout history, from flints for starting a fire to self-driving cars, have something in common: They are the result of curiosity."
With this statement, Francesca Gino, the author of Rebel Talent, opens her "business case for curiosity". Her article highlights all the benefits of cultivating curiosity for leaders and organizations.
Curiosity is indeed a vital strength or attitude for humanity. It drew the first human beings towards the fire created by a stroke on a tree, pushed many across the oceans and led thinkers and scientists to ask impossible questions. It is a powerful propellant for the evolution of the individual and the community.
However, I can understand why curiosity, although so celebrated by philosophers and thinkers, is instead treated with suspicion in real life, at school and work.
First, curiosity is more about questions than answers; uncomfortable questions, more often than not, questions that may challenge the status quo and established knowledge.
Secondly, curiosity doesn't sit well in a society that worships efficiency and productivity. Sure, curiosity is the source of remarkable achievements, but it requires us to deal with the messiness, uncertainty and unpredictability of human endeavours. I can see why it doesn't fit in contexts where we want predictable results quickly.
Unfortunately, this attitude towards curiosity is reflected in our schools.
What would happen if we invested less energy in giving knowledge and more in nurturing curiosity in students?