Does curiosity begin autonomously or heteronomously? I am curious about the origin of curiosity. On the one hand, the mind has no conception apart from a seed being planted by an outside source. On the other hand, every mind does not incubate every seed towards curiosity. I had no knowledge of Lithuania, until I met someone from Lithuania at the Outer Banks in 1998. I did not have a desire to discover whether or not there was a country called Lithuania because the idea had not been planted in me. But, once I heard of the country Lithuania, and met someone from Lithuania, I was captured by the accent of this native and her distinct accent. From that point on, Lithuania was on my map. *Nothing happened between me and that waitress. I was only eight years of age*
Perhaps it was many factors bound to a living soul that made me curious. If I had been told that Lithuania was a country by an American and had not been introduced by a Lithuanian who was uniquely different than me in so many ways, then I would not have been drawn in as I was.
Curiosity must have outside influence, and curiosity, in part, is a response to the introduction of knowledge.
While curiosity is initiated by encountering something outside of ourselves, curiosity seems to be dictated by developed filters within ourselves. I was recently introduced to Jerusalem crickets. They are ugly, and they are not crickets, nor are they native to Jerusalem. These layers of obscurity piqued my interest and stirred in me a desire to show others the ugly appearance of the Jerusalem Cricket. Few were intrigued, but my intrigue grew. I cannot discern the deciding factors between my curiosity and others lack of curiosity for the Jerusalem Cricket.
Perhaps one of the filters at the time of my introduction was the consideration of my brother Josiah. My brother graduated from Cornell University at age 19 and can explain the anatomy of…everything, in an engaging way. My heart and mind were preparing for time with Josiah when I was introduced to Jerusalem crickets. Considerably, my thoughts of Josiah conditioned me to latch on to these ugly bugs in consideration of having an engaging conversation with Josiah.
Many people can be exposed to the same thing, but different people will birth a curiosity in that thing. So while the object of curiosity is birthed from an outside source, the environment in which that seed is welcomed is contingent upon individual complexities; how the mind has been conditioned and stimulated to that point.
What are the complexities that initiate, foster, and sustain curiosity? This to me is a curious thing.
Is it ok if my curiosity kills cats? …”It was not me, it was my curiosity.”
I consider culture and the stimuli surrounding us. Perhaps curiosity could go farther than it does. I think that the tools that lead us to explore our curiosity also have the potency to mute our curiosity. There has never been a time like this where we have the means to explore the globe and intellectual property. However, the tools that are enabling our generation to explore our curiosity are simultaneously muting our curiosity. We have the power, and the inherent decision to make as to whether or not our curiosity will multiply, or be silenced.
Peter McCarthy, Native of North Carolina, Presently in New York
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad
Perhaps it was many factors bound to a living soul that made me curious. If I had been told that Lithuania was a country by an American and had not been introduced by a Lithuanian who was uniquely different than me in so many ways, then I would not have been drawn in as I was.
Curiosity must have outside influence, and curiosity, in part, is a response to the introduction of knowledge.
While curiosity is initiated by encountering something outside of ourselves, curiosity seems to be dictated by developed filters within ourselves. I was recently introduced to Jerusalem crickets. They are ugly, and they are not crickets, nor are they native to Jerusalem. These layers of obscurity piqued my interest and stirred in me a desire to show others the ugly appearance of the Jerusalem Cricket. Few were intrigued, but my intrigue grew. I cannot discern the deciding factors between my curiosity and others lack of curiosity for the Jerusalem Cricket.
Perhaps one of the filters at the time of my introduction was the consideration of my brother Josiah. My brother graduated from Cornell University at age 19 and can explain the anatomy of…everything, in an engaging way. My heart and mind were preparing for time with Josiah when I was introduced to Jerusalem crickets. Considerably, my thoughts of Josiah conditioned me to latch on to these ugly bugs in consideration of having an engaging conversation with Josiah.
Many people can be exposed to the same thing, but different people will birth a curiosity in that thing. So while the object of curiosity is birthed from an outside source, the environment in which that seed is welcomed is contingent upon individual complexities; how the mind has been conditioned and stimulated to that point.
What are the complexities that initiate, foster, and sustain curiosity? This to me is a curious thing.
Is it ok if my curiosity kills cats? …”It was not me, it was my curiosity.”
I consider culture and the stimuli surrounding us. Perhaps curiosity could go farther than it does. I think that the tools that lead us to explore our curiosity also have the potency to mute our curiosity. There has never been a time like this where we have the means to explore the globe and intellectual property. However, the tools that are enabling our generation to explore our curiosity are simultaneously muting our curiosity. We have the power, and the inherent decision to make as to whether or not our curiosity will multiply, or be silenced.
Peter McCarthy, Native of North Carolina, Presently in New York
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad