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I have no research to back this up, but I think the need to understand everything may result from low self-esteem. Specifically, when not knowing something, peo
by dr_kiszonka 2y ago
I have no research to back this up, but I think the need to understand everything may result from low self-esteem. Specifically, when not knowing something, people with low self-esteem may feel stupid. To eliminate this feeling, they† focus on learning. It is a good adaptive mechanism, especially compared to maladaptive ones like avoidance behaviors. A potentially better one is learning not to derive self-worth from how much we know or how others perceive us.
† Some of them, not everyone, on average, etc. Also, different people have different motivations. Not everyone who has a curious mind has low self-esteem. People are complex.
- brokenmachine 2y agoBut it's kind of high self esteem to think that you're actually capable of understanding everything. Low self esteem would assume they're not capable of understanding and just give up.
- cal85 2y agoPeople are complicated. You can have a high view of some aspects of yourself and a low view of other aspects.
- dr_kiszonka 2y agoI think this might be more closely related to self-efficacy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-efficacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-efficacy
- dyauspitr 2y agoIt’s absolutely acceptable to build some of your self worth on what you have worked to learn. It’s a beautiful feedback loop.