10 Comments

I wish I could remember the thing I read about the origins of "curiosity killed the cat" because it went further and it was really something quite the opposite of curiosity. My best friend always says, "curisoity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back". Lol. Cats ARE curious. Even bobcats! And what a wonderful way to be. There's so much to be curious about. Every day I walk in nature is an opportunity because there is always something more to be curious about.

Expand full comment
author

I read that version, with the extra bit about satisfaction, which is nice. It's really a horrible saying when it comes down to it. What possible reason is there to discourage curiosity? Especially in children! It seems to me curiosity is only dangerous when people have something to hide. And, yes, I am infinitely curious about nature.

Expand full comment

Oh that's it isn't it - it's only dangerous when people have something to hide. Our culture had so much hiding in the past. A friend and I were just discussing this as she's researched her ancestry.

Expand full comment
author

We have a lot to hide and a great fear of complexity, which is connected to uncertainty. It's seen as a failing instead of a virtue to admit that you just don't know.

Expand full comment

I was told in high school that I have no intellectual curiosity.

Expand full comment
author

That’s silly. What would the difference be between intellectual curiosity and any other type of curiosity? If you’re curious about anything, you’re curious. Period.

Expand full comment

My daughter and I got into this very conversation on a cross-country trip in 2014. She would see something and immediately want to whip out her phone to Google "the answer." I would say, "We have a ride across an entire country in which we could speculate." She would inevitably pull out her phone, but over time she would wait a bit and talk until she had to find out (and not take her old man's word.) I've written several times about "Wonder" - and I heard a talk yesterday about the phrase "I wonder" that was leading me to write some more about that great human condition of wondering.

Expand full comment
author

Wonder is also a very good thing to cultivate. Both wonder at the world and more wondering.

Expand full comment

Oh my gosh, I'm so GLAD I stumbled upon your publication. This post (from months ago, it appears) is right up my - alley. :) I'm afraid I'm training my daughter (young daughter) to say, "let's look it up mommy," when we don't know something, and unfortunately, she's not referring to the encyclopedia. I mean, the internet, the web (which you can easily get caught in), IS such a wealth of knowledge, but I hear you on the value of pure and simple WONDER. Or complicated wonder. Regardless, it's wonderful to wonder. I try to leave some on the table...until I can go secretly look it up later when she's not looking. Ha. Kidding.

Expand full comment
author

I think that your response to your daughter isn't, "Stop asking so many questions," means you're already winning as far as parenting goes. So I don't think you're squashing her sense of wonder, but encouraging it. And the answer to one question can always lead to a new question.

Expand full comment