TwoCents | CURIOSITY: THE FUEL OF EDUCATION

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. This is one of the many age old sayings that rings true echoing through the chambers of time. But like every other saying that preaches motivation, we all learn how hard it can be to live it in reality. We see and envy the boundless and tiring energy of kids. When in their presence, it feels like there is no moment's rest. You look away for a second and they have dashed off to somewhere else to explore. We make reasons for this: they are young, they don't have anything to worry about, etc, the list goes on. But the human physiology is designed in a way that it recharges itself; think about it, each time you close your eyes and sleep, it's like waking up as a new human, fully recharged (A reason why we need adequate amount of rest). We have this at our disposal, but some how we feel drained, especially by education. The answer is simple, we lack curiosity. Curiosity is single handedly one of the greatest fuels that drives and energizes our actions. A basic definition of the word is: "a strong desire to know or learn something". Key words "strong desire". This is what drives children, which in turn drives us crazy. The world in their little eyes is like a wonderland, like a game they need to be part of. They see you pick up a broom long enough, one they you will see them attempt to lift that broom, and they will do it with the joy of just receiving credit alert, for an act we see as mundane. Our culture as a whole has played an active role in toning down and killing this curiosity, maybe consciously maybe unconscious. In their defense, too much curiosity like all else is dangerous and bad, but most times it is because like being in the presence of a child, it can be draining; the constant questions, the constant need to interact. Especially if the said person you're interacting with has other worries or thoughts occupying their mind. Another possible reason could be the need to instill discipline, curiosity is a good fuel, but we also as an adult need to be able and level headed enough to follow through with our plans and decisions, this is where discipline comes in. The issue though is that most times we see children brought up like soldiers. They ask a question and are quickly shut down, told to just obey, question seen as a challenge to authority. The thing we fail to realise sometimes is that, if we do not address the curiosity, it may lead to disastrous outcomes. Like a child putting his hands in fire to discover that it is one of the objects to avoid in life. But also, when we beat down and kill curiosity in a child, it takes the brightness and wonder they need to interact with the world. It is this wonder and questioning of things that is the source of great inventions. They see a situation and ask "why is it this way?" When answers are given, their minds process it and a possible thought or question may follow "how can it get better?" We live in a world where the only thing constant is change. Everything is in constant motion, reacting with everyother thing and evolving. That is the essence of life, push and pull, give and take. So when next someone asks a question, though it may be draining. Do your best to give an answer in the best way possible, if you cannot, or are too tired. Please do your best to shut the person down in a way that does not make them shrink away, do it in a loving and polite way. Curiosity betters society, and as we see in various countries. Give cause to celebrate those who have provided a solution to the problems of society, though I would never neglect or dispute the role of discipline, because this reigns in the wildfire that can be curiosity, because if given free reign it can also lead to chaos.

Other insights from Oluseyi Vandy