Curiosity; Cling Not To Certitude
Certainty is a kind of ecstasy; therein lies the danger of certainty.
I've been watching my susceptibility to confirmation bias. The information age gives me immediate access to bits and bytes that confirm my beliefs. Often when I'm feeling low or irritable, I go online and indulge in provocative content to reinforce my opinions. My ego craves this activity; It enjoys feeling better about itself! But alas, stoking and stroking self-righteousness means losing a part of my soul; It's a Faustian bargain because egoic certainty is the death of curiosity. In a strange twist, knowing something for sure narrows my mind, whereas mystery broadens it.
Curiosity is the process that leads to fertile ground, the land of noble ignorance, the awareness of how little I know. Like others, I love finding answers, but I cautiously treat knowledge like a drug- A glass of wine is fine, but after a bottle, I think I know more than I do. I enjoy believing I've found unique knowledge, but my thinking, besotted with conclusions, narrows its scope. Better instead, to return to curiosity and question. The spirit of inquiry opens my eyes, allowing me to see more of the universe at once.
My image, 'Curiosity,' recalls my devotion to inquiry over certainty.