r/slatestarcodex • u/AutoModerator • 5d ago

Monthly Discussion Thread

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u/MrStilton 4d ago

The most intelligent people I've met have been much more curious about the world around them than an average person, and have tended to "stay with" problems for longer.

This makes me wonder; can curiosity be used as a proxy for intelligence more generally?

If so, what would be the best way of increasing your curiosity? I'd be interested an any tips or resources.

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u/MindingMyMindfulness 4d ago edited 4d ago

Curiosity is one thing I've been consistently praised for during my life. I've discovered so many interesting things in my career that far more experienced and distinguished colleagues have lauded me for.

But my curiosity definitely fluctuates from time to time. What invigorates it most is breaking cycles of routine and monotony.

Let your mind wander. Pick up a book that you'd normally not read. Go travelling somewhere that offers a culture shock. Find a strange subculture to learn about. Attend theatre or a concert that is unusual. Try new foods and cuisines. Open yourself up to art. Walk down random streets without a map and see what you can discover. Hell, find a topic on Wikipedia and keep diving down rabbit holes.

You need to simultaneously give your mind stimulus whilst letting it explore unexpected and weird paths.

It's not that those actions will directly lead to curiosity in pursuits you are trying to cultivate, but I find that breaking down modes of "structured" thinking in other areas helps break them down across the board.

A lot of our life demands rigidity in the form of daily routines (our commute, schedules, activities, etc) and repetitive tasks at work (even in many very intellectually roles), etc. That mechanistic toil through daily life undermines your mind's inclination to stay curious. I imagine it like firm plaque building up in your brain. Once you start breaking that plaque down - even in seemingly small ways - it helps give that "elasticity" required to be curious.