Guided by Instinct: Feeling Evolutionary and Political Patterns

Part 7/10 – A Lesson in Curiosity

“And they’ll look cause’ even if they hear of these atrocities, the only thing stronger than fear is curiosity…She’s curious and you know what they say: curiosity killed the yak”

– Common “Let it Lie”

Rousseau believes that curiosity is a principle “natural to the human heart, but one which develops in proportion to our passions and our enlightenment.” He believes that since it is impossible for humans to ever fully satisfy their intrinsic appetency for well being (as it is a constant, life-long desire), curiosity is born from this yearning because they/she/he will “constantly seek for new means of contributing to it.” Not only does this suggests that it is in our true nature as animals to be curious, but it also means that it is within our right to be so.

From a “developmental” perspective, Rousseau finds that healthy curiosity is most likely to blossom from the earthly nourishment that nature inherently provides for us. Meaning, that if a child is allowed to be naturally guided by their/her/his senses from the start of life, then that child will establish a strong foundation for which they can “transform [their] sensations into ideas”. A gradual and natural cultivation of the senses is an important physical process for humans to experience because it will encourage a smooth conversion of stimuli within our animal cells which can then be decoded by our central nervous system which will determine the reaction. A healthy maturing of sense perception is fundamental as it will influence all sensory processing to follow. The beauty of this system is that humans do not even need to be “made” or “encouraged” to be attentive to the wonders of nature as Rousseau claims, because they will inherently want to discover its natural phenomena without any prompting or guidance, in my opinion (as a mother of two young children).

“Forced to learn by [themselves], [they/she/he] uses [their] reason and not another’s; for to give nothing to opinion, one must give nothing to authority, and most of our errors come to us far less from ourselves than from others” (Rousseau 1762).

For Rousseau, the pace at which knowledge of the world is acquired is indispensable in child development because the mind will evolve in harmony with one’s physical strength, therefore, the mind and body will “bear only what it can bear”. This equilibrium will nurture a memory with things that are understandable to that human because they will only be “depositing” input in which they have a full comprehension of, rather than “overburdening memory without the participation of understanding” as Rousseau says. These reflections also relate to my last post titled "A Natural Education" and how one considers themselves (or does not consider themselves) in relation to others in society and the unprejudiced mind that a natural education seems to encourage overall. Although Rousseau claims that “amour-propre” (excessive pride/love for oneself generated from human ability to compare themselves with one another) is a natural human passion, he still believes it is one that needs to be awakened to unveil itself, meaning, that one does not naturally compare oneself to others in society as this is an error that occurs from outside the body. Rousseau believes that this passion is fueled by the desire for acknowledgment and approval while being susceptible to corruption. I, myself, found these reflections particularly concerning because it seems to me that acknowledgment and approval are the very entities that our public education cultivates in us, supported by a political system that is by no means unacquainted with corruption.

So…the first question that comes to my mind is, who exactly is benefiting from this beautiful and innocent natural education and why am I only learning about the life changing advantages of this approach to education now?

Out of all the work that Rousseau wrote and published in his lifetime, it is interesting to note that Emile, or On Education was the piece that caused the most uproar in society. Arguably, a piece that could likely resonate with almost every human on earth in some way or another due to its nurturing sentiments which seek to deter our species from straying too far from its natural characteristics. Illustrations that could possibly help humans to detect and protect their virtue while nurturing their soul, physical health, and identity. Yet, Emile, or On Education was banned in both Paris and Geneva before it was publicly burned in 1762 (the same year it was first published). Before it had the chance to widely circulate. Furthermore, Rousseau was ostracized by his country and his fellow citizens for sharing his truths in Emile and lived most of the remaining part of his life in seclusion after this publication while enduring reoccurring bouts of paranoia and dysphoria. While it is true that his work does include some very outdated perspectives/opinions relating to gender roles that are no longer helpful in the century we live in, it does not mean that most of Rousseau’s other thoughts were/are not entirely valid and well-intended.

I found Rousseau’s thoughts on curiosity in Emile, or on Education very intriguing because they seemed to be in sharp contrast with the much more counseled and mandatory education that is encouraged here in Canada. Educational settings that tend to conjure academic competitiveness or even rivalry depending on the community/region (or rather, the geography of the community/region) one lives in. Settings that seem to resemble almost the exact opposite of everything Rousseau supports in this book which has been recognized as one of the most important pieces of writing on education in history.

Although it is always difficult to say with absolute conviction what the “best” and most “truthful” information is, I believe that human instinct provides/protects us with an innate understanding as to what feels and sounds the most right when it comes to topics like education and child development (particularly for those who have been lucky enough to make their soul/body connection). Therefore, the human senses (if strong enough) will be naturally guided to seek the truths they are guided to seek no matter how difficult they are to find or what obstacles they must face to get to them. And sometimes (depending on who it is that finds these truths), they will share them. They will share them with as many people as they possibly can regardless of the personal consequences because they will recognize the significance of these truths and most importantly, the significance of sharing them with everyone.

By: Heather Sakaki

Date: March 12th, 2021