Curiosity. Maybe it did kill the cat.
Personally, I never bought it. As far as I’m concerned, curiosity motors exploration, discovery, mischief-making, the Internet of course – and more industries than I can possibly enumerate.
Beyond curiosity, “How to” has become something we ask routinely, expecting – and frequently receiving – virtually immediate answers. In fact, I was curious about the variety of how-to’s that are available online, so I Googled and came up with some interesting results.
The following topics made their way to the top of my list.
- How to write a cover letter (always useful)
- How to train your dragon (say what?)
- How to boil an egg (knew that!)
- How to tie a tie (really?)
- How to tie a (French) scarf (may I steer you this way?)
- How to lose weight (no surprise)
Theoretically, these days we can learn how to do – or be – most anything. It used to require a bit of research and knowing how to read. Now all it takes is being able to watch or listen. Youtube, anyone?
But here’s my question. Should we want to do everything better?
Does it set the expectation that we can? That we must? That we can master something new quickly? Are we compelled to seek constant improvement in a dizzying array of areas? Shouldn’t we focus on specific “betters” and leave the others to – well, others?
Pick and Choose (Adulthood by any other name)
Seeking to improve my understanding of improvement, I Googled “how to improve” – and voilà:
- How to improve your memory
- How to improve your self-esteem
- How to improve your handwriting
- How to improve your IQ
- How to improve your communication skills
Once again, I’m baffled, all stellar SEO skills aside (Search Engine Optimization), which might impact the sequence of subjects in the list.
Given our aging population, our frantic pace of innovation, and competition in all realms, I’m not surprised that we’re looking to improve our memory – to acquire information more quickly, expand our capacity to do so, and to retain it.
But improve our self-esteem? I found this one alarming – as a woman, a mother, and a mother of adolescents – particularly as it came from Kidshealth.org, in their teen section. Imagine how many articles must exist on self-esteem for this to be #2 on the “how to improve” list!
(I Googled that; there are over 50 million.)
Improve your handwriting? Who writes by hand any longer, and do people still care? (I confess that I do, but I’m old school in strange ways…)
What I did run into were additional items like how to improve your credit score and how to improve your gas mileage. Both seem logical enough. Yet what I might have expected – (is it just me?) – how to improve your relationship, how to improve your sex life, how to improve your marriage – which did indeed appear, but not with the priority I anticipated.
What does all this suggest about us, our preoccupations, our culture?
How-To, Old View?
Along with the trio of interpersonal “how-to” items mentioned above, here are a few that I didn’t find on the first pages of Google:
- How to get to Carnegie Hall (couldn’t resist)
- How to get into college
- How to save for retirement
- How to change a flat tire
- How to learn a new language
Might I add that Ironic Mom’s daughter found How To Make an Instant Book? How cool is that?
If I could lay my hands on a How To Do Everything Better Guide of my own making, I would add the following:
- How to get a job over 50 (and keep it)
- How to improve listening skills
- How to become a better judge of character
- How to think beyond ourselves
I might also hope for a nationwide How to improve your focus – and that doesn’t mean popping the latest drug to do so. It does insist on shaking off the yoke of coulda-woulda-shoulda, of expecting a capacity for vast stores of (useless?) knowledge, and shedding a growing tendency to busy ourselves rather than to set substantive goals and execute, truly learn, deeply enjoy, or appreciate essentials.
How to be spontaneous? How to have fun?
I’d add those in a heartbeat. But hey – that’s just me. Maybe our most pressing need is for a “How to do better at identifying what matters – to you.” Or does that require “How to find a Life Coach?”
Your how-to list, if you could specify it?
Great, great post. It almost exhausted me reading it, because of all that was swirling in my brain.
Here are a few of mine:
How to prioritize and make moments count.
How to make time to exercise.
And as an aside, I love scarves. I have a very long neck, so I can do well with many styles. My problem is that I almost always look unkempt in them. Must look into wearing them properly.
And thanks for the linky love.
Great list, my pleasure, and go for the scarves! (“How to Tie a French Scarf”)
Option 1 (words, links, videos), and Option 2 (a nice video, on a French site, but in English!)
I was just trying to find out “How to mail a bass sax” as I think I’ve sold my Buescher vintage bass sax to Mississippi. I didn’t find much using a variety of search terms. So I ended up going on the Woodwind Forum, my fav music forum, for suggestions. Hey, you asked… or maybe not.
A few that come to mind….
How to:
say no
afford college for my kids
learn to let go
make a lemon drop martini (my favorite) 🙂
@Gandalfe – Love it! Maybe your sax is going somewhere that Linda could get that good Lemon Drop Martini?
@Linda – Follow Gandalfe’s sax! (As for just say NO – that’s a toughie, especially with teens around… )
Once again got me thinking.
It seems that the information has always been there for the taking. Whether it was from an elder in his stories of his youth, a great and attentive teacher who knew just what it was that would be helpful later in life, or a reference or even a fictional account hidden in the recesses of a city library. It is all just more accessible now and there are many more ‘Experts’ out there these days.
It was what (and is) we did with the information.
I am certainly still looking for the answers to many how-to’s myself.
But I suppose that the somewhat useless information has it’s ‘uses’ also.
Your kids have obviously outgrown the cartoon movie set. “How to Train Your Dragon” was an animated movie that came out last year. 🙂
As for my list, the things I want most to do aren’t things I don’t know how to do. Rather I know exactly how to do them, but just haven’t gotten myself motivated or organized to do them. Maybe my “How To” should be “How to get energized to actually do what you know needs doing.”
Last night found me Googling “how to remove a splinter.” (Poor three year old…will he ever forgive me?)
What I find worrisome about the easy availability of information is my own willingness to perform tasks that I probably shouldn’t be performing (see aforementioned splinter – it was a deep one!). Just Google “how to…” and suddenly I feel equipped to tackle a job that may be best left to professionals.
Ouch! Now will you need “How to find a therapist for a preschooler?” (Kidding, Kristen… )
But point well taken. Anything pertaining to do-it-yourself doctoring, wiring, plumbing… I tend to steer clear of.
Gandalfe is in search of that lemon drop martini…
I think that in order to be a good writer you need to be curious. Your curiosity is part of what brings me back here. Because you share those questions and I find them interesting.
@ Kristen — use the potato trick! It really works. (I’m sure it’s on the web)
As for my list, the top 3:
1. How to get organized.
2. How to quit losing crap.
3. How to find crap I’ve lost.
Can you tell I spend too much time looking for things? (working on that)
I think you’re right, Wolf. It is so easy to waste our time chasing rabbit trails, it can be hard to stay on track.
Chasing rabbit trails instead of staying on track. I love the way you put that, Planner!
“How to stop looking at how to do things better and just be satisfied with the way you’re doing things now…” or something like that.
Love this post.
My list:
1) How to meditate;
2) How to live in the now; and
3) How to live an let go.
Do you see a theme?
America, land of self-help and upwardly mobile metaphor. Sorry. Feeling punchy. What was the question? My list? How to focus, yes? Less busy, more appreciation of essentials? I vote for that. I have this quote pasted on my desk, too: The mark of adulthood is the ability to live with loss.
Down with self-help. That’s it right there.
I’m a fan of how to lists. I know that I have used them several times (the cover letter is one that I find myself frequently revisiting). But I think it is important to remember that they are just guides or introductions to an certain topic or area. A how to guide cannot make you a master of something. It can instruct you how to get started and you make yourself a master. I think that somehow we seem to have lost sight of the importance of a person – of individuality and ingenuity. There are a lot of things that I can do but only a few things that I do well. And those things change and evolve over time as I find myself in new places with new people.
Still, what you have written here has really gotten me thinking about priorities … thanks for that.