curiosity, is a curious thing

Be curious!

My teacher once said. But why? A-H-A! That question "But why" posed, in itself is a manifestation of the curious mind. This is what I think.

Wiki says:
Curiosity is related to natural inquisitive behavior such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in human and many animal species. The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity. As this emotion represents a drive to know new things, curiosity is the fuel of science and all other disciplines of human study.


Being curious, means we want to find out more. By finding out more, we might learn more. By learning more, our thinking and behaviour might be geared towards change, as a resultant of this new learning. When our thoughts and behaviour changes, is this what we term as growth? Well, only if the change is towards the positives in nature.

Wiki says curiosity is a "natural inquisitive behaviour". Doesn't natural implies that it is inborn?

If following the argument that curiosity in itself is an emotion, then we might like to think that emotions as nodes wired in our brain that can be fired on or off, depending on triggers/conditions. If the condition is right, or there is a triggering event, then a certain emotion could be activated. That is from the neurobiological and James Lange theories, in accordance to my understanding.

Perhaps it is not wrong to say that we are capable of emotions (especially if the brain is already wired up with all these nodes just waiting for the right juice to pass through or right conditions to trigger), but to me.. curiosity in itself can be acquired. For example, a less curious person can be compelled to be more curious.

By using the term "compelled", I'm assuming that humans are selfish by default and will do things for their own benefit first (may not be first n only.. but usually, the first). Some may argue that this could be our self-survival instinct. Perhaps so, perhaps so...

Anyway, if this skill/behaviour of being curious gives us benefit, and we are indeed AWARE that we are gaining the benefits throught this thing called curiosity, then why not? All the more we should engage more of this activity called being curious! Do you agree?