,
18 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
1/ Curiosity is a trait that I value and aspire to embody. And yet I rarely hear about how to do so
2/ First, what is it and why do I care? Curiosity feels like an urge to observe something in the world "as it is"
3/ Curiosity describes a process as it appears, rather than trying to draw conclusions or place labels, and maintains an open mind
4/ Curiosity means finding a way to continue playing (amazon.com/dp/B004W3FM4A/…) rather than assigning a label and moving on
5/ At a minimum, this makes life more fun. It turns out, anything and anyone can be infinitely interesting when you care to look
6/ Curiosity also allows us to be more effective. Taking a curious stance reveals parts of the world that were previously hidden
7/ This provides the option to learn and incorporate new information into your models of the world, thereby improving your actions
8/ So what's so hard about curiosity and how do we get better?
9/ Curiosity feels like a muscle. And the weight to be lifted is the emotional resistance to an experience
10/ Notice how it's pretty easy to be curious about something that you already believe may be useful or enjoyable to you
11/ It's moderately difficult to be curious about things that you are indifferent towards, the "boring" parts of the world
12/ And it feels exceptionally difficult to be curious about experiences that trigger rage, anger, or disgust. Things that feel wrong
13/ If you're a third wave feminist (or SJW) it is very difficult to be curious about neo-reactionaries, and vice versa!
14/ Of course, this is the most fertile soil for learning and growing. The most valuable evidence is hidden by emotional resistance.
15/ The best part is, from my experience, this is a muscle that can be built. You can exercise it!
16/ The more you pay attention to the way your emotional reactions guide your attention and ability to perceive the world...
17/ ...the easier it becomes to intervene. To notice when you are reacting rather than trying to understand.
18/ Find something that triggers you and see if you can explore the other perspective just a little bit longer than last time you tried
