Do you know where Chichen Itza is? Or who fought in the Hundred Years’ War? What caused the Irish potato famine? What are the effects of the Cold War on U.S. politics? What religion is practiced in Indonesia?

My grandmother knows the answer to every single one of these questions. So does my dad. And here’s where we run into the problem: my peers and I don’t. 

A plague is spreading, and this time it’s not caused by fleas on rats (a fact that my generation does seem to remember very well, thanks to the Hollaback Girl remix). It’s a plague of ignorance -not only a lack of knowledge about the world around us, but honestly, a lack of interest in gaining it.

My generation has grown up with access to almost everything, thanks to modern technology. You would think that with that accessibility, we would be the smartest, most knowledgeable generation to date. And although studies show Gen-Z is especially strong emotionally and financially, I think our base of knowledge needs improvement. My grandparents, who grew up with zero technology, know more than almost anyone else I know. They spend their time seeing the world, gifting experiences instead of objects, and teaching their grandchildren history on the way to baseball games. And they want me to go to college because learning is important, not because they think I need a degree. They value education for what it should really be. 

In our times, many have stopped learning for the sake of learning, for the sake of knowing things about the world and its past. We study just to pass tests, to push through the bureaucracy of the educational system, and to prove ourselves worthy. And we get good grades, get into “good schools,” and find jobs. But ask most high school students, and they can’t tell you what they learned last month. And by the time we reach college, most people stop caring about those gen-ed classes and electives, focusing on the subjects that will help them find work and graduate with a high GPA. Curiosity, and the desire to know things just because, are slowly fading as our society focuses on “what’s really worth our time and effort.” 

It’s a damn shame. Knowledge is the greatest power out there, and with so many resources, we should be taking advantage of the opportunities that our grandparents and parents didn’t have - the chance to learn more than ever. It’s really cool to know things. It makes you smarter, helps you connect deeply with others, and allows you to solve problems more efficiently than ever. 

Let’s take back our curiosity. Let’s start exploring topics that may not seem to relate directly to our chosen career paths (although usually, they will eventually connect). Let’s learn for the sake of learning, not for a test, a degree, or a job interview. Because at the end of the day, knowing things makes life fuller. And it’s cool - like, really, genuinely cool - to know things. 

The Thought Edit follows my experiment in designing a personalized, AI-guided education. Along the way, I explore bigger questions about how we learn, think, and stay human in a rapidly changing world.