Curiosity Silenced the Uncurious Cat

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:12:48 -0600

Curiosity killed the cat or so the saying goes. What does this mean? Be careful. Don’t be curious. You just might get yourself hurt. Better to stay at home, safe and sound.

Except that’s not at all what the saying says. The full saying is:

“Curiosity killed the cat,
But satisfaction brought it back.”

Curiosity brings danger, uncertainty, and sometimes even death. But sometimes curiosity brings satisfaction. Curiosity requires risk, and risk is the potential for reward. Historically the people who have been the most rewarded are among those who took the greatest risks. (Of course, the ones who have been the most punished are also among those who took the greatest risks.) Wisdom, is the ability to discern which risks are worth taking.

Curiosity on Daniel Lyons

Curiosity Silenced the Uncurious Cat