The Curious Dilemma: Navigating the Perils of Inquiry in Academia
I’ve always been someone driven by curiosity. To the extent that my boyfriend once teased me about assuming the role of an interviewer, bombarding him with questions — as if I were already a journalist. Well, truth be told, that’s my major, so I suppose it’s a fitting trait for the profession!
However, there’s a saying in my country: curiosity kills the cat. Essentially, it implies that sometimes seeking out certain things can lead to danger or undesirable outcomes. Of course, I’m not so reckless as to put myself in harm’s way, but let’s talk about the perils of curiosity, especially for a PhD student — like myself.
Allow me to set the stage: I’m in the final stages of my thesis dissertation. Presently, I’ve amassed over 100 pages encompassing theory and methodology. Whenever I sit down to write and delve into references, I find myself adrift in a sea of data. Just earlier today, while working on the initial chapter of my data, attempting to incorporate relevant references, I stumbled upon a blog featuring an expert. What was intended as a brief reference check turned into a 40-minute detour, reading extensively about this individual. The more I absorbed, the more my curiosity grew, resulting in a complete diversion from my original writing intentions.
Yes, maintaining focus during writing poses a challenge. I recently stumbled upon a meme highlighting the struggles of PhD students, and the primary one was trying not to succumb to distractions.
However, does this affliction solely befall students like me? I doubt it. For individuals with an inquisitive mind, it’s incredibly easy to lose oneself in the vast ocean of information that surrounds us, especially in today’s world. Our phones exacerbate this, incessantly notifying us about messages, photos, or reels, diverting attention away from our primary tasks. Hence, circling back to the saying’s essence: yes, curiosity can indeed lead us astray. It squanders our time on unproductive pursuits or irrelevant readings — a detriment, especially when deadlines loom.
The irony lies in the swiftness of our minds. The information we consume today, we’re likely to forget within minutes. For instance, sometimes while watching TikToks during breakfast, I’ll inadvertently miss details because of a screen change, unable to recall the video’s caption or the creator’s name — particularly when they appear on my ‘For You’ page from unknown accounts.
As a journalist (albeit not actively practicing the profession), I understand that curiosity is pivotal, especially in research. Nevertheless, it can be perilous when it uncovers things that shouldn’t be happening or negatively impact others. This is evident in the distressing statistics of journalists being targeted in Latin America, largely due to exposing nefarious deeds.
It’s fascinating to be in this paradox: striving to absorb as much knowledge as possible while grappling with time constraints. Ultimately, I believe it’s essential to foster curiosity and seek answers to questions. Yet, responsibility and awareness are equally crucial in discerning which answers warrant further investigation and which don’t. The truth isn’t always what we hope for or anticipate, but we must possess the ability to distinguish what’s truly worth pursuing.
