Speaking of the "drive to explore"

Matt Giwer wrote:

So the idea is a myth. Explorers are so few we know all of their names. Organized explorations are
so few we know all their names.

Exceedingly excremental.

There is also curiosity about the unknown, fascination with the wonders
of nature, the adventurous yearning for new and interesting
experiences, the urge to explore. These are STRONG drives in healthy
humans, and if you don't believe me, just take a look at any normal
child. Notice the way they're curious about everything?

Let's say you found a door to another world, with its own strange
civilizations, art, architecture, languages, creatures and so on. Would
you be interested in exploring it? You wouldn't feel a strong drive to
step through that door and learn about what's there? You wouldn't feel
strongly fascinated? I would, and I know for a fact that I'm not
alone. This is what I mean by the drive to explore.

Millions of people bought Tolkien's *Silmarillion*, which is basically
an almanac of another world. All these people pay money to explore a
FANTASY world, and yet some of you would have me believe that no one
ever explores anything real out of strong curiosity. It's all about
money and power, and nothing else. How much more ludicrous could you
get?

Many of the most popular movies and books are about other worlds. If
the world of Lord of the Rings were real, do you think no one would be
interested in going there and exploring it? You really think there
would be no strong curiosity about it? If so, you are an *idiot*. As
far as we know, it's just a fantasy, and *still* lots of people spend
time exploring it!

I've personally traveled to Chile and explored the countryside, out of
curiosity. My curiosity is strong, and not weak. I love to learn. If
you think this is anything exceptional, you're frankly a fool. It's not
for naught that tourism is so big. Not only do people explore for
reasons other than just money, they actually PAY to explore places
they've never been. The human drive to learn and explore helps make us
who we are. Without that drive, we'd be something else entirely.