Information seeking behavior and critical thinking

PURPOSEFUL CURIOSITY by Constantine Andriopoulosis is designed to “inspire a movement that awakens purposeful curiosity as the foundation of innovation and art.”  The author is Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Bayes Business School (City, University of London) and his teaching expertise is readily apparent in this easy-to-follow text. Andriopoulos first contends that we “have become addicted to breadth over depth, worshiping quick and straightforward answers,” noting the importance of mindset and inspiration. He outlines sub-components of each (e.g., asking questions like What if? Am I sure? What’s next?). Interspersed are quotes and reflection from various entrepreneurs and innovators – Andriopoulos interviewed over 60 financiers, scientists, teachers, explorers, journalists and more (full list is provided in an appendix) for this book. Each of nine subsequent chapters develops a “lesson” on topics like Uncover your itch to know, Go down the rabbit hole and Develop resilience in the face of adversity. Again, Andriopoulos employs numerous examples from his interviews and lists extensive sources in a notes section. For example, he points to several studies showing that “Curiosity – the urge to know, to see, or to experience …. has long been associated with positive emotions, lower levels of anxiety, strengthened relationships, achievement, and longevity.” PURPOSEFUL CURIOSITY is a super accessible way to investigate “The Power of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time.”  

THE PERSUADERS by Anand Giridharadas is a look through a predominately progressive lens “At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy.” Giridharadas, best-selling author of Winners Take All and award-winning former New York Times columnist, profiles several activists, beginning with Linda Sarsour and the Women’s March on Washington. He also writes about how “an astonishing 17 percent of Americans were said to be QAnon believers now.” It is painful to read some of the examples that Giridharadas cites: “a plague of grief without deaths. People mourned the lost living, whose minds had passed on to some strange beyond.” He goes on to describe research that advocates for “appeal[ing] to them instead as critical thinkers who deserve to know that they are being misled.” One of the sources he mentions is John Cook’s Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change. That text explores concepts like fake experts, logical fallacies, impossible expectations, cherry pricking, and conspiracy theories in an often humorous way which may be more appealing for students. As Giridharadas says, “What if you accepted their lies as here to stay and sought to forge citizens resistant to them?” Librarians and information literacy experts have so much to do. Giridharadas raises many good points and questions, but the text has weaknesses: he focuses almost exclusively on highlighting a progressive/liberal viewpoint and there is no bibliography despite use of statistics and other evidence in the text. The narratives were interesting, but it was not always easy to follow the argument’s flow or develop a useful persuasion playbook. However, THE PERSUADERS received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus. Have a critical thinking look and decide for yourself.