Just accept that this is the case and meet people where they are. And collect some friends that share your curiosities and passions. People can be good and reliable friends even if they are content living a simple life in simple ways as it's always been, without pushing for abstract novelty and learning.
People try to blame school for killing the natural curiosity of kids, but I've come to be very skeptical about this. It's an idealized romantic notion. Most mammals lose their playfulness in adulthood and most humans are like this too, even if not to the same extent (some say humans retain more neoteny, similar to domesticated animals like dogs that also remain more playful than wolves as adults).
These two types of people often misunderstand each other. For you a job might become boring if it stays the same year upon year. But for most people the thought of having to keep up with ever changing knowledge requirements after school and even once they are settled in their jobs is utterly terrifying.
Ya, I'd actually agree with your whole comment, and for that reason I was somewhat hesitant to frame my last sentence as I did, because what you suggested is what I've come to learn to do anyway. Part of the reason I was hesitant is because it's not about me, so much as it is about reconciling that ambiguous difference in expectation when they express that they have an interest in something.
Unfortunately, there's some amount of skepticism and doubt I have to embrace, being careful what I express an interest in, and letting them be as serious about whatever commitment as they're authentically prepared for. I typically only do things for myself now, and extend an invitation to people I think might want to join, but I don't bet on it, and only rarely plan more involved activities with people who've clearly put in some organic initiative. On the extreme shallow end of this paradigm, I'm sure as hell not going to agree to go on a hike "sometime" with anyone who's hopped up on coke or drunk at a party, obviously. But sometimes it's just less clear, and I have to ask myself "how likely is it that this person would plan this themselves and take the initiative, and do they even have appropriate footwear or baseline level of fitness?", and I might ask that explicitly and go from there. I also do the same for the them, such as if I'm asked if I want to "get into Tennis" or something. I just say "nah, not really, I might join if you have a spare racket but right now I couldn't give it the investment it might deserve" and we can spend time doing other things we already enjoy together.
Otherwise though, I try to keep a small list of easy stuff in my back pocket to accommodate people with more rigid schedules and less innate drive for that specific outing; if after a few they want to take things further, I'll extend myself, and that's how good friendships last.
Sometimes people are just bad at predicting their own level of commitment or disentangling desires and reality. Or they know they are "supposed to" do something so they promise it or even believe that this time it will work... This is often the case with diet and exercise and studying hard. Then sweets, sitting on the couch and procrastination happen. Then the cycle repeats.
Also in some cultures it's rude to reject invitations so people always say yes but it's understood implicitly by both parties that it's just politeness. The US tends to be like this, always saying stuff like "you should come over for dinner sometime" etc and you must reply enthusiastically but both the invitation and the acceptance count only in reality if a date and time is attached. This is often baffling to continental Europeans for example who tend to be more direct and would follow up with a message next day, asking when they should come over. Which is awkward because it wasn't a real invitation.
People try to blame school for killing the natural curiosity of kids, but I've come to be very skeptical about this. It's an idealized romantic notion. Most mammals lose their playfulness in adulthood and most humans are like this too, even if not to the same extent (some say humans retain more neoteny, similar to domesticated animals like dogs that also remain more playful than wolves as adults).
These two types of people often misunderstand each other. For you a job might become boring if it stays the same year upon year. But for most people the thought of having to keep up with ever changing knowledge requirements after school and even once they are settled in their jobs is utterly terrifying.