Keeping Curious

As kids, we are inherently curious beings; we ask a lot of questions.

Almost all of them are directed at our parents, who know everything about everything and are never wrong. The questions range from being slightly impressive to being slightly annoying. Everything from what is the meaning of life to just “why.” Kids ask the same questions over again and ask questions that they already know the answers to, somehow either momentarily forgetting the answer or trying to test the vast knowledge of their parents. Kids yearn to grow and learn without a care for the shame it might bring.

Parents get bored, tired, or annoyed at the questions. They berate kids with things like “stop asking so many questions” or “curiosity killed the cat.” Parents end up killing this hunger for knowledge mostly because they don’t have the patience to deal with the barrage of questions.

Then this sad thing happens; we stop asking questions. Questions become embarrassing to ask and you feel judged to ask them. Then we become satisfied with the knowledge that we have, thinking its enough for the course we have set. After all it takes a certain amount of energy and courage to continue to ask questions. When that happens you lose the life in you; you give up.

“I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” Albert Einstein

Hopefully that isn’t happening as much as I think it is. Hopefully we are still learning and maintaining a state of curiosity. Hopefully we just know where we can find the answers to the questions we are asking. Ask questions and don’t be afraid of the answers.

Keep hungry and keep curious.

Colophon: Titles set in the Gnuolane by Typodermic and implemented by Typekit. Special thanks to The Wombats for providing the sound track for design.

Posted on December 28th, 2009 By Kyle Fiedler

37 awesome responses

  1. Jeremy Girard

    30Dec09
    3:27pm

    Nice design. Very Riddler-esque.

    I tell my students all the time that the ‘only stupid question is the one they don’t ask.’ It’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s true. If you want to grow in anything in life, you need to be willing to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’.

  2. Kyle

    30Dec09
    4:08pm

    Nice! I was going for Riddler-esque.

  3. Design Informer

    30Dec09
    5:53pm

    Hey Kyle, I love the Riddler theme. :)

    Thought-provoking article! Most people are afraid to ask questions in fear of looking stupid or ignorant.

    As designers, I think this is a great thing to have. Being curious about how something was designed, or what was the thinking behind a design. It definitely helps to ask questions.

    Great thought!

    :)

  4. Kevin Holesh

    31Dec09
    9:36pm

    Love the post and the design, Kyle.

    I find that I do my best learning while asking questions of others, but not necessarily getting the answer right away. I prefer it when my teachers ask questions back to lead me to the answer. Figuring it out on my own helps me remember the knowledge indefinitely.

    Two semesters ago, I took a business law class and my professor taught with the Socratic method of teaching: basically what I described above. I easily remember more from that class than any other class I took that semester. Come to think of it, I don’t even remember what others classes I took!

  5. Jonathan Boyer

    17Jan10
    3:57am

    My Dad use to say : “what you don’t know doesn’t kill you”. It’s a lie!

    I have believed my father for a long time but one day I discovered how the Gregorian Calendar was set up. I got an instant hunger to know everything about the world that surrounds me. I now think that curiosity is the path to Knowledge and Knowledge is the path to Freedom.

    I will be a new dad in a few weeks. I promised to myself that I will feed my son’s curiosity for knowledge as long as he needs to.

    Thanks for this excellent thought and this beautiful design :)

  6. adektuz

    21Feb10
    7:22am

    nice design! excellent!

  7. Odne

    12Mar10
    6:50pm

    I once sat on an airplane, with a father and his son next to me. The kid was awestruck by the window, while the father was reading a newspaper. The kid asked a lot of questions about flying, clouds and planes. Unfortunately, the father did not seem to take notice, perhaps he was used to blocking the questions out. This seemed very frustrating to the young boy. I made a promise to myself, always to answer questions when my future children ask them.

    I like your blog. Will try to follow you.

  8. Web Design Trends 2010 | i know idea

    04May10
    8:52am

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  9. The Current State of Web Design: Trends 2010 | Web Design Cool

    04May10
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    04May10
    11:17am

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    04May10
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  14. The Current State of Web Design: Trends 2010 | i know idea

    05May10
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    06May10
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  26. The Current State of Web Design: Trends 2010 | My Marketing University | MyMarketingU.com

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  32. Amber Wilkins

    17May10
    3:59pm

    Awesome Kyle ~ i was tripping around smashing magazine and was pleased to see my former classmate on the webzine! keep up the great work ~ Congrats!

    http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/04/web-design-trends-2010/

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  35. Alex

    17Jun10
    5:45pm

    just wanted to say that i really love your blog. you are so creative. :)

  36. The Current State of Web Design: Trends 2010 | Best Web Magazine

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