Comments on: Curiosity: A new coping strategy for the modern world?

By: Elaine Rumboll » The Art of Noticing

Elaine Rumboll » The Art of Noticing — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:59:39 +0000

[...] easy. It requires energy and practise. In it’s own right, noticing is an act of attention. Noticing, like Curiosity, is an appreciating asset. What I am particularly interested in is the way in which how we notice things differently will [...]

By: Elaine Rumboll

Elaine Rumboll — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:21:36 +0000

Thanks, Old, Female. My only concern with your fascinatin and inspiriing contribution is that in the world we currently live in, as soon as we have the answer, the questions change! So perhaps it is even more so about crafting incisive questions in a world where answers and multiple and constantly changing.

By: old, female

old, female — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:41:58 +0000

I “coped” as strategy. PreWWII days, children were seen and not heard. It only stimulated curiosity.
Libraries were a meeting place for “curious” teens.
Females had primary education – (except the wealthy.)
My education ceased at age 12 to be my mother’s unpaid helper while waiting for marriage. Domesticity dulled me so I was sent to work in a factory at 14 yrs – making army blankets !
An experienced reader – I decided to teach myself from books !
My curiosity taught me more than my formal education. To question everything. I had to find out WHY ? It worked for me.

I found out how to make an inanimate PC, with a mind of its own, to obey me. Curiosity as to “what a key or click did” helped and also created crashes. Trial and error agonies.

Modern children are spoon fed with visuals and rely on reflexes – not brain power.
Will they have a memory and active brain muscles, at my age ?
Will they ask WHY and search for answers, as I do ?

I think not.
Prepare them for premature senility as their brain muscles shut down.
SOLUTION: Teach them to be curious and question everything.
Research until all their questions are answered.
NOT to expect easy answers from laziness and ‘told by someone’ as fact. That is being gullible not smart ass!

By: Elaine Rumboll

Elaine Rumboll — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:42:01 +0000

Thanks for the great responses. It certainly has given me more to mull over. Personally I have enormous respect for those that take their time over responses – it is not my natural default but I have often seen much worth in it. I am really curious about the relationship between learning and curiosity so perhpas next will have more of that. Or not….

By: nguni

nguni — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:12:24 +0000

In praise of slow thinkers? Everyone needs time to mull over events, to analyse things, yes, even to do some abstract thinking (the geniuses you mentioned). Otherwise slow thinking in everyday life is associated with dullards for good reason. They are not driven by curiosity, they just can’t think any faster! There are plenty of them in SA, the fast-thinkers got out years ago.. Darwinism is still at work, those confused by all the technology are being selected out or at least fall behind in market-orientated societies.

By: Rory Short

Rory Short — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:43 +0000

@elaine thanks for a very interesting take on living, actually living, in this ever accelerating world. I find it is very beneficial to set aside a regular time each day to pray, meditate and contemplate. Afterreading this blog I am definitely going to try to add to my life, an increased attitude of curiousity.

By: Dumi

Dumi — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:14:55 +0000

Great piece Elaine.
Its fascinating how we allow our minds to take over and dictate who we regard ourselves to be… over and above other aspects of ourselves, our being, our hearts. I think that…there goes the mind again… I believe that the mind is too loud and too busy, and must be told often to shut up and listen more. How many of us can stand back and watch ourselves doing stuff? Living with curiosity is but one of many tools and methods that can help us build new habits not overwhelmed by fast-paced thinking and doing. Perceptions of reflective moments and silence, or quite times, as wasting time, would have to change.
One of the good pieces written about taking-in things differently and being curious is written by Jonno Hanafin, of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. He recommends ‘suspending judgement’ on anything that we see, hear or do. Edwin Nevis, one of the fathers of Gestalt systems thinking, says that when faced with any situation where we feel the need to ‘react’ or respond in pre-determined or programmed ways, it helps to just say: ‘Isnt that interesting’ and be curious to see what emerges from then on. We must resist scratching the itch to box or pigeon-hole everything and everyone. We tend to be too quick to label, name and box things. Its limiting.

Now I am curious about your next piece Elaine… no pressure, no expectation, just curiosity. I wonder…

By: old, female

old, female — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:18:06 +0000

WOW – wise words that bring back my youth. “Act in haste – repent at leisure.” A truism of ages that still applies.
My generation was curious by nature as we had to find out for ourselves. What we learned from experience, is being”discovered” by scientists today and I get a good laugh at what I have “known” for decades.

My motto that still works for me is a question about my question.
“What will happen if……”
Find the consequences and probabilities of your intended actions.
Also known as: Cause and effect. That concept eludes the genius minds of the majority of modern day people.
Overeat = obesity.
Excess alcohol = dementia.
Drunk driving = death.
The tip of the iceberg from my viewpoint.

By: MLH

MLH — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:52:14 +0000

That was a good read. Thank you. It occurs that most of us agree we need time to think, but the fact is that we need time to explore our thoughts. I notice my son is given to saying: ‘No can do’ without thinking further. I, child of ‘Heath Robinson plus’ am more likely to mull over an issue until I find a practical solution; to wonder, if it doesn’t work, how I can make it work? Could this all have something to do with personality? Finding answers contributes so much to life.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:14:26 +0000

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