Why Don’t We Ask Why?

We say we value learning. That it’s important. But we don’t actually mean it.

Society is set up to create humans who follow rules and memorize facts. “Listen to me, what you learn in class today will help you later,” just enforces the shut up and listen mindset. Sure, teachers tell you to ask questions and ask why. But that doesn’t mean they’ll reward you for actually doing it.

Nobody does.

Asking why, having an actual desire to learn, is often met with annoyance or sarcasm. “There’s no such thing as a dumb question,” yet people laugh when they think you ask one. Society encourages people, especially kids, to pretend they understand. We’ve created a sense of fear that not understanding something makes you stupid, when in reality it just makes you curious.

I recently heard Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about parents who stop their kids from jumping in a puddle. What they’re really doing is suppressing curiosity. Their kid will learn from that experience and get instant feedback. But the parent is implicitly telling them to stay in line, be cautious, and follow the rules. It would be a shame if they were to splash water.

We say one thing, but do another.

Until we, as a society, completely change the way we educate and treat kids, there will be a cap on our potential. The most influential people in history, Albert Einstein, Aristotle, Gandhi, all had curious minds. They challenged others and asked why. So, why, I ask, are we suppressing free thought and a desire to learn?

Mindless workers don’t push society forward. Thinkers, inventors, and creators do. Be selfish, learn as much as you can, strive to make a difference, and ask why.