Curious, I am

As I write this title I think of one of the wise sages of our time, Yoda, and smile as I imagine him saying these words. This weekend I met a more contemporary Hollywood sage, Tom Shadyac. Tom is the director of the documentary ‘I Am’ http://www.iamthedoc.com/ that recently played in our local cinema to a sold out audience. Tom had a near death experience and lived so he became curious. He began asking questions about some basic cultural assumptions regarding our humanity. Using his own life as an example he explored whether, by nature, we are truly competitive or cooperative. Tom asked questions of scientists and mystics. He discovered that we are inherently connected to one another and that love is the binding force of humanity, even at a cellular level. Love works on us in our physiology, our psychology and our psyches.

I am curious about curiosity and how little curiosity there seems to be anymore. Perhaps because we feel vulnerable when we don’t know. We may feel weak or uncertain if we are curious when we are in a world that spends so much time delivering information in more and more innovative ways. My profession as an information architect certainly contributes to the rapidly increased movement of information in a speedier and more comprehensive way. So I am curious, just like Tom, about how my life has contributed to the illusion. Perhaps all us have a version of ‘I Am’ to tell? The real story, tearing back the false assumptions and finding out what is really valuable, is at the heart of it all. Be Curious about yourself. I am.