Curiosity: Humanity’s Superpower

Have you ever become a keyboard warrior—entering a forum where most people hold an opposing viewpoint? I have. And it’s been a valuable exercise, both personally and professionally.

Recently, I was lured by a Substack article claiming RFK Jr. is trying to eliminate all vaccines. I clicked on it like a mosquito drawn to a bug zapper. I usually avoid extreme content, but on this topic, I thought: "I know a few things—I can offer a different perspective." That mix of arrogance and naivety cost me.

Initially, I led with facts, yet it seemed fruitless, so eventually, I found myself simply arguing. It turned into a brawl: me versus an army determined to shame me into silence.

Only one person—literally one—was willing to engage with some curiosity or examine actual studies and video clips. The rest swarmed like bees, each ready to die on the battlefield by unloading their only stinger.

The emotional toll I felt from this self-inflicted conflict was primal—reptilian. I was horrified and angry at the misinformation on topics I was familiar with. Despite my efforts to find common ground, I was met with emotional fervor that felt like mob hatred. Eventually, my wife gently suggested I stop. I did—but not before landing a few more jabs.

When I finally disengaged, I felt empty, exhausted, beaten up, and depressed. I didn’t sleep well that night, tormented by looping, angry dreams. My workout the next morning was half-hearted, and I could barely muster any enthusiasm in social interactions.

I share this story because I, too, am not immune to inflexible thought paradigms. The real lesson of that internet brawl wasn’t about their emotional immaturity—it was about mine. I stopped leading with curiosity. I led with the need to prove I was right. I could not let go of my ego, which was dictating my actions in an unhealthy engagement.

This is a lesson I’ve learned repeatedly with patients. I’m not an effective physician or guide unless I strive to understand what’s holding someone back from becoming their healthiest self. It doesn’t matter how great I think my plan is—unless they recognize their internal blocks, it won’t work.

In my upcoming book, It Is in Your Head, I share a realization: the mother of all problems on this Earth is inflexible thought paradigms. These rigid mental frameworks lead to emotional conflicts we either refuse to release or are unwilling to explore with flexibility. Over time, this emotional rigidity can contribute to the onset of disease.

A simple example is someone unable to release a hurt by another. This lends to poor sleep, which leads to less exercise and worse eating habits, ultimately raising blood sugar levels and resulting in pre-diabetes. But the deeper, more subtle player in disease manifestation is often our entrenched thought paradigms aka our ego: our need to feel safe and right in who we are, what we believe, and what we stand for. Let me start by saying we all do it, and yet it is the lack of love and patience in our hearts that is leading the way.


I believe that our worsening emotional dysregulation has fueled a true epidemic in our country: chronic disease, which accounts for 95% of healthcare costs. This spiral accelerated during COVID when we had a death rate four times higher than anywhere else on the planet. We blame chronic disease—but what triggers it?

After studying Biological Decoding (click to watch a video with Isabelle Benarous), the answer lies in the polarizing thought paradigms of the pandemic. I saw it firsthand in friends, family, and patients. The more rigidly someone clung to a belief—especially one tied to a deep-seated emotion about the virus and how to respond—the more I could almost predict their health trajectory. Everyone contracted the virus, but its severity of impact on each person varied dramatically. That variance correlated not just with their chronic health status but with how they emotionally coped and self-soothed.

Let me be crystal clear: it wasn’t about the belief itself. It was about how tightly someone was emotionally attached to that belief. The more divisive the thought—and therefore, the stronger the emotional charge—the more prolonged and complicated their illness often became. It wasn’t always obvious. But when I looked under the hood, I frequently found an unsettled, pervasive emotional current—sometimes not even consciously acknowledged.

We must understand that all thoughts connected to emotions initiate a cascade of neurochemical-electrical activity—neurotransmitters are released, as well as sympathetic or parasympathetic nerves are activated. To overlook this is to miss the likely origin of potentially all diseases.

Today, we hold a symbiotic technology in our hands that constantly reinforces our existing beliefs in daily existence. We become encased in a silo of thought, reinforced daily, convincing us our view is the “right” one.

Any article, protest, or person who presents a differing viewpoint is often quickly labeled as “crazy”—or worse; we shut them out entirely.

A longtime nurse I worked with closely for years recently unsubscribed from this newsletter because I expressed support for the political shift brought by MAHA. I ask you right now to stop for one second and ask yourself the following questions: What’s your first reaction to reading that? Is it your thoughts about RFK Jr. and vaccine rhetoric? Or is it more nuanced, like concerns that current leadership doesn’t respect scientific data? Or perhaps you preferred the previous administration’s trajectory?

Truthfully, your reasons—whatever they are—don’t matter to me in this context. What matters is how you regulate your emotions in response to me or anyone who does not share your beliefs.

My intention in stirring the pot is not to provoke—it’s to invite reflection. What belief, what emotion, do you hold onto so tightly that it shuts down what may be humanity’s greatest gift: Curiosity?

So next time you’re met with an opposing viewpoint, remember: this isn’t about them—it’s about you. Become the master of your emotional landscape. Use the power we’ve been gifted as humans: get curious—not to defeat others, but to understand them. Seek common ground, if possible. That takes love. That takes patience. However, the journey will also grow your confidence, humanity, and overall well-being.

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Pro Tip:

If someone is clearly in an acute, emotionally reactive state where they’re unlikely to hear opposing views, try this:

“You seem really passionate about this. I feel you. Share with me what is driving yours.”

Then listen. Not to argue—but to understand. I often put my hand over my mouth to physically remind myself.

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Be BioFIT- Be Educated, Not Influenced.
Grateful to be your physician guide.

Kevin Hoffarth MD, IFMCP
BioFIT Medicine