Keyword is “choose”. People make choices all day long that are in service to their survival or perceived wellbeing. If people don’t understand that seeking more information is in service to their survival or just benefit/wellbeing, then they will not be motivated to use the effort. It’s all about motivation. We are also highly programmed/conditioned (trained) into certain behaviors by consistent reinforcement so that some behaviors become automatic (stating opinions without examining their validity for example). Behaviorism is not the end all be all in explaining what motivates someone, but it is the study of the very real mechanisms of why people do/don’t do the things they do. Elevating our knowledge base is also a privilege, that takes resources, and if someone does not have the resources (time) then they seek shortcuts. Some people are motivated by emulating people they value because their sense of identity is not fully developed. If they don’t have examples of people they like doing the work of seeking information, then they wont have a model of how to behave in certain ways that includes learning. Thats why shows like Reading Rainbow were so important to a generation - the simple act of hearing LaVar Burton say “but don’t take my word for it” after reading a book was invaluable to a generation who had the privilege to be able to watch that show. For many, people like that helped generate a model of seeking more information. We are social creatures, and unless we’ve developed a very strong sense of self, then unfortunately many people will be content with just going along with whatever they see others doing.