Curiosity in decline?
Yves Citton’s book Cultiver la curiosité argues that even though knowledge is more accessible than ever, human curiosity may be decreasing. Published by Éditions de l’Aube in 2026, the book explores how modern tools like Wikipedia and search engines, intended to foster curiosity, might instead reduce it.Information overload and appetite
The book compares the effect of an information overload to that of an excess of food, suggesting that too much knowledge can diminish the desire to learn further. This idea implies that the more information people have, the less they may feel the need to seek out more.Ease of access and complacency
Citton raises concerns that the ease of finding information may lead to complacency. People might become satisfied with what they know and stop trying to explore new ideas or challenge their existing understanding.Ignorance and the limits of knowledge
The book emphasizes that ignorance itself is not the problem. Rather, it is the tendency to stay within the limits of what one believes they know, without making an effort to expand that knowledge, that hinders true curiosity and learning.
