How to Turn Learning into an Addiction (Backed by Science)

Developing and sustaining curiosity isn’t as simple as questioning why

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Curiosity is an important aspect of learning. One piece of advice I hear too often is to question everything. But is the advice to always question things really all we need?

To me, it feels like a common saying, similar to “don’t compare yourself with others,” which might sound easy, but it’s not that simple to put into practice.

Without even realizing it, several environmental factors kill our curiosity.

When I was a kid, my mother got anxious whenever she took me out, be it to the mall or a relative’s house, because my hands were never still. I can’t resist touching things, and unfortunately, sometimes, these objects are delicate and fragile.

I’m just curious about the things I touch because they’re usually new to me. But I get why my mother worries that I might accidentally damage them.

As I reflect on my childhood, I realize that there were many phrases and restrictions I grew up with, such as “don’t play away,” “don’t answer back,” and “don’t ask why if I told you to do something.” These rules seemed to be a tradition among Asian parents of the boomer generation.

Young kids are natural explorers and eager to try everything on their own. Constantly saying “no” can discourage them from wanting to explore and learn more about the world around them.

Although we strongly believe curiosity is a fundamental skill for learning, putting it into practice may still be challenging. Even in the realm of education, the curiosity aspect is not widely applied or emphasized, especially before the inclusion of curriculum reforms. I don’t understand why the form of the test has to be

• Exams merely demand memorization rather than encouraging critical thinking.
• Complex calculus problems with little real-world relevance.

It often feels like schools focus only on memorization and rote learning. Unfortunately, despite getting good grades at the time, many of us end up forgetting much of that material later on.