Well, I suppose I am a recursive reflector, if that is a thing!
You know, now that I think about it, I think that certain circumstances can motivate a person to increase their intellect. I have known people who for lack of a better word aggressively avoid looking deeply into any subject.
Then someone in their family or they themselves get some disease or injury. Afterward they suddenly become very interested in understanding the thing. But sometimes this leads them to exploring a lot of other things. Sometimes it's religion, other times it's trying to get their head around what life is all about.
So ultimately there is a trigger in the brain that leads a person down a path of exploration. The question would be, how does one unlock this way of thinking with a tragedy?
On reflection, I just realized that I tend to end a post with a question. :)
Hello @nuthman :)
Perhaps, through quitting the chase for happiness. Which, I believe, is what distracts or stops people from looking further into themselves and/or the world around them.
Oops, I meant to say without a tragedy, but I think you got it.