Let's get curious

I listened to an interview with the Swedish artist Ernst Billgren. Among other things, he said:

“If we had half as many opinions, and if the ones we had were half as strong, I think we would live happier lives in a more peaceful world.”

I am convinced that this is true. There is so much suffering in our world and in our lives that could have been reduced or completely avoided with less strong opinions.

Of course, we cannot avoid having opinions; they are essential for our development and survival. But they don’t need to be so absolute. We can soften them and become more receptive to the opinions of others.

Perhaps curiosity is the quality we would all benefit more from. An interest in what others think and why. A curiosity about our fellow human beings and the world around us.

We can also direct the same curiosity towards ourselves.

Why do we think, feel, and act the way we do in different situations? What happens if we broaden our horizons and see things from a different angle? What will we experience if we dare to think outside the box?

More curiosity and softer opinions. That would open the door to a whole new world.