Monkeys Know Best

Have you ever noticed that when we peel a banana, we do it from the stem side? As a result, the first bite of this delicious fruit is typically smushed. I'm curious as to what our fellow hominids think of us. They use the "monkey method," which comprises delicately pinching the other side of the banana to allow it to peel off effortlessly and without causing a mess.

Primates have been on the planet for almost 80 million years. In contrast to the simple linear evolutionary path that we are often presented with, many of the species have co-existed on separate paths. Even we, Homo Sapiens, who evolved 300,000 years ago in Africa, lived for a while with at least one other member of our genus, the Neanderthals. Why have orangutans, gorillas, and chimpanzees survived for millennia when other primates have perished? And more importantly, why have humans evolved at such a fast and furious rate when our nearest surviving cousins have remained in the trees? Curiosity may have played a role, the same curiosity that will lead you to attempt the monkey method the next time you eat a banana, I'm sure.

Curiosity is the desire to understand or know more about something. Not to be mistaken with the need to gather information just for the purpose of surviving. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, when something piques our interest – such as an intriguing fact about monkeys and bananas – our brain enters what is known as the "curiosity state." The areas of the brain that are sensitive to unpleasant conditions light up first because the lack of knowledge makes us feel uneasy. The regions responsible for learning and memory then kick into high gear, allowing us to learn and remember things more quickly. It's at this moment that we're ready to look for answers. And when we start learning new facts in our curious state, our reward system kicks in. The brain releases dopamine into our bodies, and the pleasure we experience ensures that we will try to satisfy our curiosity again in the future.

Why is it that, despite the fact that many species exhibit curiosity, only humans have used it to build civilizations, write poetry, map our genome, construct the internet, and travel to outer space? One type of curiosity, according to Professor Katherine Twomey of the University of Manchester, is uniquely human. It is epistemic curiosity, the need for knowledge that drives people to learn new concepts, close information gaps, and solve intellectual issues. Complex language and persistent cognitive effort (hard work, in other words) are required for epistemic curiosity, two crucial factors in greater learning and consequently enhanced intelligence. Diane Hamilton Ph.D., in her book Cracking the Curiosity Code, points out that along with intelligence comes motivation, the desire to do something with the new knowledge. Curiosity, intelligence, and motivation all contribute to challenging the status quo through innovation.

So far, we've figured out what curiosity is, how it's activated, and why we seem to have the upper hand. The question now is if this quality is worth developing or if it is simply a nice to have trait. In Curious, Ian Leslie notes that most of us live in an economic climate that rewards learners, those who seek out, engage in, and pursue opportunities for effortful cognitive activity. Curiosity is increasingly valuable not only because it leads to academic success, but also because modern businesses require people who are quick learners, adapt to new difficulties, cooperate with experts from many fields, and continue to improve their skills as they advance. He suggests seven ways to stay curious, three of which I will highlight. To begin, do a lot of exploring. The story of the previous century has been one of increasing rewards to specialists. However, a countertrend has emerged as a result of the digital revolution. We now know that cross-fertilization of diverse domains frequently results in fresh ideas. Second, create a database of thoughts. Great ideas don't just appear out of nowhere when we’re attempting to come up with one. Their origins can be traced back months, years, or even decades in our lives; they are the result of long-established mental habits as well as flashes of brilliance. Finally, inquire as to why. Knowing what to look for is essential for making discoveries, but it's also critical to ask why. We will remain blind to the deeper truths if we stop doing so.

Professor Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School highlights that, while leaders may claim to welcome inquisitive minds, most restrict curiosity out of concern of increasing risk and inefficiency. As a result, it is critical for them to model curiosity, promote learning objectives, and allow employees to explore and broaden their interests. People with great curiosity are usually able to ascend to C-level posts with the correct development, according to executive search firm Egon Zehnder. However, without it, a highly curious CEO may do far worse than their less curious counterparts in terms of competency. Allowing people to have "Why?", "What if...?", and "How might we...?" days, according to Gino, can help us tap into our natural curiosity. By challenging existing viewpoints, answers can assist us in innovating.

Our species has clearly come a long way in leveraging curiosity. Despite this, we continue to peel bananas incorrectly. What does this say about our self-proclaimed "intellectual superiority"? Clearly, it still struggles to overcome some of the typical curiosity hurdles pinpointed by experts. First and foremost, there's the issue of fear. Fear of appearing ignorant, fear of failing to fulfill expectations, fear of venturing into new territories, fear of questioning the present state of affairs, and fear of tampering with what appears to work are just a few examples. Then there's arrogance. Having a superior attitude prevents us from learning new things. The third factor is comfort. Staying put is often simpler than taking action. The fourth point is confirmation bias. Our natural curiosity is stifled when we only look for evidence that supports or confirms our pre-existing beliefs while rejecting information that contradicts them. Finally, there's our environment. Family, friends, and society as a whole can have a strong impact on us to keep our curiosity under check.

I recently came upon a T-shirt depicting the human evolution. On one extreme, there was an ape, funnily enough, holding a banana. In the center, a cave-dweller wearing thick fur waked on two legs. And on the other side, there was Albert Einstein, complete with wild hair and irreverent tongue. This reminded me of something he once said: " I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious."

Author: Esteban Polidura, CFA. February 5, 2022.?