This answer although revealed in the latter half of her book, can easily be noted in an interview with Skloot in which she's asked if it was wrong for scientists to remove Henrietta Lack's cells. Her response was:.
It was a completely different mindset than the one we have now, but it was not ill-intended, or unethical by the standards of the day. George Gey, the scientist who first grew the cells, was devoted to curing cancer. He took cells from himself and his own kids. He never sold the HeLa cells, he never tried to patent them or anything else, including equipment he invented that's still used around the world that could have made him large amounts of money. Gey was pretty impoverished, but he spent his own money in the lab (Skloot, A Readers Guide). .
After many trials and tribulations Skloot eventually acknowledges curiosity in the case of Henrietta lacks as a crucial aspect in achieving the good life. She realizes that although Henrietta's family might have been wronged, that without Gey's discovery there would be thousands, if not millions, unable to attain the good life due to poor health. .
"A spiritual and intellectual journey" would be a more appropriately coined title for the book written by Herman Hesse: Siddhartha. Why, you might ask? The answer lies within the story's main theme of desiring to learn something more through different teachers in Siddhartha's life. Initially he is introduced as a young Brahmin born in India, who becomes enthralled with curiosity and thereby wants to discover what he must do to reach enlightenment. Siddhartha learns from the Brahmins, The Samanas, Kamaswami, and Kamala staying with each teacher until his curiosity peaks enough for him to ask himself what more he can learn. Eventually after meeting the Buddha and Vasudeva, that question evolves into what more he can experience, experience being the key determinant in attaining the good life.
