"I think all one needs is an insatiable curiosity about the world and everything therein"
Absolutely.
I work actively in researching folk-song, which is my first love, but regularly travel 200 miles to see a few good films in a bunch because they don't make it to this side of the country.
Apart from these, I become a (very mature) student in whatever catches my interest.
I've added to that list considerably thanks to some of the topics I've become involved in on this forum.
Jim Carroll