Just Finished Reading: Curious – The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It by Ian Leslie (FP: 2014) [272pp] 

Anyone who has kids, or indeed been a kid, knows that a constant refrain is the word ‘Why?’ Humans, it seems, are BORN curious. Even before they/we can speak we’re pointing at things in the expectation of being given information about the object of interest, putting things in our mouths much to the horror of our parents and wandering off to explore our local environment. Our innate curiosity has taken us from the African savanna to the Moon and, if we can avoid the fate of the curious cat, no doubt eventually to the stars. But curiosity hasn’t always been revered in western culture nor is it always long tolerated in society or even in the home. After been asked the 1,000th why question it's easy to lose patience and tell a child to stop asking so many questions. Likewise, even in school a constant questioning nature is seen as disruptive to learning and all too often discouraged. Historically curiosity has been discouraged especially when questions are raised which, potentially at least, could call into doubt the foundations of the present order. Wondering about the basis of the divine right of kings or even the nature of divinity itself could get you into much more than hot water if voiced at the wrong time or to the wrong people. But, argues the author in this fascinating and highly entertaining book, curiosity is needed now more than ever as the world faces a growing number of threats to its prosperity and, quite possibly, its very existence. Moreover, curiosity on an individual level helps keep dementia at bay and enhances day to day experiences allowing things to be seen clearly for what they are.  

Drawing on the worlds of psychology, sociology and icons of the business world, the author sings the praises of curiosity in ourselves as well as nurturing it in others. Personally, I’m regularly amazed at the number of people I encounter who lack basic curiosity about the world they live in. It’s not that they lack the breadth of curiosity I find within myself it’s that they lack ANY curiosity about incidents and events that impact them. I’m well known for ‘always having my nose in a book’ and reading through the sections on childhood curiosity I struggled to remember who exactly encouraged this constant drive to know more I feel burning in me as I type these words. Why, I found myself asking time and again, am I this curious about pretty much everything? It made me laugh some years ago when one of my work team asked me what I was reading one lunch time. “An introduction to Economics” I said. Why, she asked, are you reading that? Because, I said, it’s a subject I don’t know very much about. So why are you reading about it, she innocently enquired.... At that point I was, briefly, completely lost for words. I believe that curiosity, the simple desire to know, is basically life enhancing on an individual level. At a societal level it’s vital. An incurious culture is a dead culture or soon will be. Even without the growing number of potential existential threats we’re facing as a species, being a curious civilisation that encourages its citizens to be curious and remain curious throughout their lifetimes is a huge plus for all concerned. Asking questions is good. Being critical, questioning and curious is good. Never be afraid to ask WHY. Not only could you learn something new, something interesting and something useful it will lead to another question and then another. A definite recommendation for all those curious readers out there.