Curiosity

I found Kate Berardo's article on curiosity interesting and insightful. Curiosity is a trait that we exhibit and sometimes suppress throughout our lives. It is through these experiences that we learn about the world. It is understandable that many adults look down upon curiosity because the way in which many individuals express curiosity can sometimes lead to dangerous consequences for themselves or others. Many adolescents and young adults use illegal drugs to reach a certain level of excitement or achieve some desired mental and physical state. Often, these behaviors lead to injury or death.

On the other hand, many individuals express their curiosity in more adaptive ways, sometimes intellectually, and other times physically. One can gain knowledge through intellectual curiosity, such as attending a conference on something he/she knows little about, and also through physical curiosity, such as hiking a mountain. By considering the possible consequences of our behaviors, we can appropriately decide how to pursue our curiosity.