An interesting lecture on a subject I’m fond of. Seriously, I’ve found that insatiable curiosity paired with longwinded bullshitting ability can trick many people into believing you’re actually smart! Try it sometime.
By background, 99 percent or more of the people who ever lived on the planet by the end of the 18th century could only reflect the social status and pursue as occupations whatever their parents did. Curiosity, which may be a natural condition of children, didn’t apply expansively to adults because in their daily pursuits they had so few choices. Lack of education and social and economic immobility put pervasive constraints on the imagination.
It’s an interesting thought, because I’ve always felt that the opposite is just as true: so many people I know, even if they have a little time and money to spare, simply don’t care to learn anything new once out of school, content to just partake of the endless buffet of entertainment while knowing just enough to keep the paychecks coming.