Schrödinger's Cat: Killed By Curiosity

Curiosity is defined as "a state in which you want to learn more about something". If that is true, then I question why you want to learn about that. There must, undoubtedly, be a reason for why you are curious about something; a cause for the effect and action of asking the question.

Simply giving the excuse of "I'm just curious" does not make sense. There is a reason why you're curious about that particular subject, whether you realize it or not. Most times the aforementioned phrased is used to hide the true reason, usually because the true reason is something that the questioner does not which to reveal.

If I ask you when your birthday is, it is most likely due to a few reasons, such as: I wish to celebrate your aging an additional year, I want to know if I'm older than you, or I may just wish to ask the question in order to tell you when mine is in order to exchange information and "bond". However, if I were asking you the question due to the last reason, then I would most definitely be less likely to explain that that is the actual reason, but instead try to nonchalantly pass it off as me just being curious, even though this is not the case.

Alternately, a person may say that they asked something because of a given reason, but they were "mainly curious". This is often times used to deflect focus away from the true reason they asked the question which they gave. They aren't actually lying to you in either case too; in both they are genuinely curious, but they just don't wish to share the actual reason for their curiosity with you.

Now, there is another aspect of curiosity to deal with: being too curious. There are many times when someone will ask you a plethora of question, continually quoting curiosity as the reason for their inquisitiveness. I've just dealt with the illogic of citing curiosity as the cause for your actions (it may be true, but does not accurately reflect the real reason why you ask the question) and I will now address the issue of the problems it causes.

Humans, for the most part, are curious creatures. We wish to know why things work the way they do, how things happen, who people are, what ifs, and an innumerable list of other things. Science has arisen and explained many mysteries of our universe due to our endeavor for answers, and while these are established facts, it can still be irritating to have a person grill you on a subject. Truly, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Someone who is overly curious can be consider nosy, and this is a reputation which can be disastrous to obtain. Few people wish to confide in someone considered nosy, for fear that they will be brutally dissected and be left with nothing more than what they started with, spare a filling of panic and unwanted openness. Consequently, most will stray from someone known to be nosy and only venture close when wishing to acquire information upon another person. The nosy person is then left without lasting friendships, except for the few other people who allow themselves to be associated with such a person (and they are usually of a similar nature). The main downside of this association is that you could be dissected at a moment's notice, and feel used.

Perhaps all that can be gained from this idea is both an understanding into why we say that we are just curious about a subject, and fair warning to those who are nosy or associate themselves with those who are. I think that we should all be able to admit why we ask a question, or at least be able to explain why if the questionee inquires.

It's better to let another know why they are being questioned than to just give the excuse that you're curious. It is far nicer to know that you wish to find out about their birthday so that you can do something nice for them upon that day than to just have the inquiry dismissed with "I'm just curious". Truly, honesty is paramount in so much.