It’s good practice, I think, to pay attention to what comes out of our mouths.

Words either create or destroy, and Edward Bulwer-Lytton was right, “the pen is mightier than the sword”.

So consider this familiar proverb.  What is “Curiosity killed the cat” trying to tell us?

Well despite the admonition, I risked looking it up on Wikipedia with little luck; apparently no one really knows where it came from.

Seems the earliest known reference was in either in 1909 or in 1916, and it had to do with the reported actual death of an actual cat. Apparently cats are inclined to get themselves into dangerous situations, and without the local fire department or an adventurous benefactor, they sometimes die as a result.

I expect that there are other species that do the same, yet vindicating cats is not my agenda—especially since, as part of the the pro-dog movement I am compelled to point out that dogs tend to get us out of dangerous situations. Sorry cat-lovers; I couldn’t resist.

The question is: why has the proverb “curiosity killed the cat” become cliche?

I don’t claim to know the answer, yet a good place to start is by pondering the intended meaning of the proverb. The message seems very simple.

  • Don’t stray too far off of the beaten path.
  • It’s dangerous to question.
  • Conform, don’t challenge.

I expect that the popularity of this proverb has less to do with protecting our young, and more with protecting fragile ideas; plus, I’m sure, the frustration of parents facing the never-ending “Why?” of young children.

Questioning is the engine of truth and anything that shuts it down compromises truth.  And let’s face it, “Curiosity killed the cat,” is not an indirect way of saying “Don’t rock the boat.  There are more important things at stake here than the truth.”

It’s another example of the destruction we often unwittingly cause by accepting and repeating what we hear.

Which brings us back to paying attention to what comes out of our mouths.  Think about what you’re intending when you repeat this proverb, and I hope this means you won’t repeat it, lest your intent is to repress our natural urge to explore and challenge —to sheep society.   And that couldn’t be your agenda, not if you’ve read this far.

Can you think of other famous proverbs that have similar effects?  I’d love to hear it.