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We're all about discoveries around here. Whether it's knowing the best place to buy tiny original pieces of art (hmmm, I'll have to tell you about that later), finding the greatest Desert Blues bands coming out of West Africa (trust me, there's a lot, and they tend to be amazing), or uncovering vineyards from which to create great new wines, we like keep our collective ear pretty low to the ground. We're curious folks. I suppose that's just our way. But curiosity is certainly about much more than music, art, and wine. I doubt I'm alone when I find myself wondering how Tibetans avoid altitude sickness. Or if robots will ever get married. How might a cat scuba dive, we've certainly all wondered. In my more practical moments, I've been known to contemplate why my post-toothbrushing glass of OJ tastes so strange. And that hunk of gum I just accidentally swallowed? Seven years in my stomach? Really? Inquiring minds want to know.
And sure, I could probably manage to google myself an answer. I imagine the vastness of wikipedia contains such truths. But, being the discerning media consumer that I am, I shan't settle for having such wondrous bits of knowledge delivered in so dry a manner. In a perfect world, I'd have a couple of fellows, as lovable as they are knowledgeable, to impart this information to me in a playful and engaging manner on a regular basis. And what a world it is. Turns out, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, of Stuff You Should Know [iTunes Link], are exactly such fellows. Part of the podcast wing of HowStuffWorks.com, Stuff You Should Know is pretty aptly titled. It's never really stuff you need to know, but always stuff you'll be glad you do. Josh and Chuck's curiosity and enthusiasm for their subject matter is infectious. You'll find closure for all sorts of queries long pondered yet never resolved, but even more fun are the questions that never even occurred to you to ask. Because sometimes we all need some assistance in knowing what to wonder. To be perfectly honest, I had never really considered the topic of scuba-diving cats before this morning. But now I'm as curious as, well, as a scuba-diving cat, I suppose.
Share your discoveries: What's your favorite source for fun facts? Have you read a book recently that makes history come alive? Know of a really rad science museum? Maybe a board game, radio show, or band so completely awesome that you forget you're learning? Let us know on our Facebook page! The person with the most fun way to learn cool new stuff gets 20% off a bottle!
I'm currently reading "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell. He lays out all the symbology and analogy behind the worlds greatest mythical traditions. It's a difficult, but incredibly rewarding read, as one begins to understand the human spiritual experience is common to all cultures and all human beings share similar spiritual truths.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds fantastic. I've been meaning to read some of Campbell's work for a while now. Especially after reading Daniel Pink's "A Whole New Mind," in which he discusses Campbell and the Hero's Journey while emphasizing the role of stories in our lives and how we form connections through narrative. I love the idea that, while every story has been told before, there is tremendous value in the retelling. Actually, kind of ties in to an earlier post here on the doc "My Kid Could Paint That," and particular importance of the telling of a story, independent of the story itself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!