After reading "Guns, Germs & Steel" and "The Gervais Principle", I think, curiosity is better for a group and being smart better for an individual (group). So,

After reading "Guns, Germs & Steel" and "The Gervais Principle", I think, curiosity is better for a group and being smart better for an individual (group). So, both are crucial. GG&S makes the case, that people say "Necessity is the mother of invention." but historically this hasn't been true. The best inventions were random findings and only got applied to the best use after they have been found. TGP makes the case, that people who are smart (sociopaths) are able to extract the most benefit of a specific situation. If a group of people doesn't have curious individuals, the smart ones don't have any basis to use it to their (groups) advantage.