Genuinely curious [closed]

In the past two years every time I've seen curious it has been preceded by genuinely.

What is going on here? (Actual question.)

Is there some alternate connotation now being seen with the bare curious that requires this modifier to get the literal meaning?

Is something else going on here?

Solution 1:

It’s just a guess, but maybe this is to separate true curiosity / wonder / inquisitiveness from the more negative “nosy”.

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/nosy

A quick Google shows that nosy has a negative connotation. Merriam Webster equates it with intrusive. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosy#synonyms

Solution 2:

No particular connotation can be attached to this word unless the context points to one, and this is a generally recognized principle applicable to all words. Asserting someone's curiosity is an action that does not go beyond a basic characterization into which nothing special is to be read; moreover nothing special that will clash with the basic idea communicated by the word can be asserted conjointly; the association in someone's psychological make up of a generally indifferent attidude with a generally curious one is hardly conceivable. However, a plain assertion to the effect of someone being curious does not presume that this curiosity cannot be further characterized; it does not presume, in particular, that it is genuine; nevertheless, it will not be before it has been hinted that it might not be, that suspicions of it not being genuine will be or should be reckoned with. There is hardly a limit to the further definition of someone's curiosity, a trait of their character that must show the essential bare principle by which it is recognized, that is, the given curious individual must be asking questions (to others, to himself), must be wanting to know more. Delimiting this fundamental behaviour further is a question of supplying the why's and how's of the given curiosity. It may come through as motivated or as inspired in various ways. For instance, curiosity may be faked, it is then the very opposite of genuine, but it still has the fundamental mark of curiosity; there is simply no real feeling of gratification in the person's mind when their curiosity has been satisfied. There is no such feeling either in the case when this curiosity is perfunctory, but then the motivation is different.

So, your curiosity being characterized consistently as genuine is a sign that it is perceived as a trait of behaviour that stems from a real need to know, it is a sign that this shows in your behaviour in general.