Social Containers for Curiosity
Note: This topic was mentioned during the call but not discussed in depth.
Creating contexts where curiosity can safely emerge, from John Kelly's insight.
John's Approach
Pete Kaminski paraphrased:
"I found that if you created a context in which there's a social reason for participating and pursuing a question like the five whys, they'll participate for the social reason, and then down the road, they'll get the benefit."
How It Works
Rather than:
- Demanding curiosity
- Telling people to be curious
- Explaining benefits upfront
Create containers where:
- Social participation is the draw
- Curiosity emerges naturally
- Discovery happens indirectly
- Value is experienced, not explained
The Game Element
Related to Playing Games Model:
- Games create containers
- Rules make it safe
- Social motivation enables participation
- Learning happens through play
Examples
Possible containers:
- Structured discussions
- Collaborative projects
- Group inquiry sessions
- Whiteboard explorations (like Excalidraw)
The Insight
"If you'd told them to look for it, they probably wouldn't have. But because it happened inside this little game, they ended up uncovering something new."
Indirect discovery beats direct instruction.