History Main / CuriosityIsACrapshoot

All in all, by its very nature, CuriosityIsACrapshoot and the only possible way to have a clue about whether it's rewarded or punished is to be GenreSavvy. In a SurvivalHorror Film, bad... although deciding that ItsProbablyNothing is just as bad. In a [[SpeculativeFiction Sci Fi flick]], usually good (science is about trying to learn things you didn't know) but sometimes over-the-top HighOctaneNightmareFuel (because ScienceIsBad). Fantasy and folk tales, you'll almost certainly do the wrong thing anyway, what with {{Family Unfriendly Aesop}}s, but usually get a chance to undo it through a series of {{Impossible Task}}s (climb mountains until you wear out thirty pairs of shoes...).

** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E4TheSunMakers The Sun Makers]]", the Doctor's fellow prisoner was sent for correction because of his curiosity. Though it does mean he's there to be rescued by Leela.

* OrderOfTheStick. The imp [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0624.html professes]] to watch V out of curiosity. The plea does not help its case.

* Swaps back and forth in {{Coraline}}. At first, it's good, because everything in the Other World is idyllic. Then bad, when [[spoiler:the Other Mother tries to make her stay forever]]. Then good again, because Coraline [[spoiler:saves the souls of three previously taken children and [[SealedEvilInACan defeats the Other Mother]]]].

* In RobertEHoward's ConanTheBarbarian story "The Devil in Iron" the fisherman who investigates a place is explicitly described as having more curiosity -- and dies.

* On ''DoctorWho'', curiosity can get you killed or worse, but it can also lead to you becoming one of the Doctor's companions.

what would have followed if you had...''

* Delivered {{Anvilicious}}ly in Methods of Rationality: "That is the story of how Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres was almost killed by his own lack of curiosity."

* As mentioned above, Rudyard Kipling's "The Elephant's Child"(from his ''Just So Stories'' and [[ElephantsChild it's own trope]]). He was spanked repeatedly by his relatives for his "'satiable curiosity", and nearly killed when a crocodile sank his teeth into his nose. As the Elephant's Child pulled against the crocodile, he stretched his nose out. He then used his new nose to spank his relatives back, until they decided to get their noses stretched as well, which is why elephants have trunks.

All in all, by its very nature, CuriosityIsACrapshoot and the only possible way to have a clue about whether it's rewarded or punished is to be GenreSavvy. In a SurvivalHorror Film, bad... although deciding that ItsProbablyNothing is just as bad. In a [[SpeculativeFiction Sci Fi flick]], usually good (science is about trying to learn things you didn't know) but sometimes over-the-top NightmareFuelUnleaded (because ScienceIsBad). Fantasy and folk tales, you'll almost certainly do the wrong thing anyway, what with {{Family Unfriendly Aesop}}s, but usually get a chance to undo it through a series of {{Impossible Task}}s (climb mountains until you wear out thirty pairs of shoes...).

* The Stephen King short story, ''The Jaunt'' is about this little boy who was curious as to what went on during a [[FasterThanLightTravel space jump]], during which everybody was supposed to be knocked out. He held his breath to avoid the knockout gas... and [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace popped out the other side completely insane]].

-->''That he was where he was proved that he was less dully incurious than most of his people. ''

* [[TheMagiciansNephew Make your choice, adventurous stranger; Strike the bell and bide the danger! Or wonder till it drives you mad, what would have followed if you had...]]

** In "Shadows In the Moonlight", Olivia's terror persuades Conan not to assuage his curiosity. Which is just as well.

[[AC:{{Advertizing}}]]

* Delivered {{Anviliciously}} in Methods of Rationality: "That is the story of how Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres was almost killed by his own lack of curiosity."

* Delivered [[Anviliciously]] in Methods of Rationality: "That is the story of how Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres was almost killed by his own lack of curiosity."

->''"Only the curious have -- '''if they live''' -- a tale worth telling at all.''"
-->--''Curiosity''

* [[TheChroniclesOfNarnia Make your choice, adventurous stranger; Strike the bell and bide the danger! Or wonder till it drives you mad, what would have followed if you had...]]

Not to be confused with ApathyKilledTheCat. See also SchmuckBait and CuriosityCausesConversion.

Not to be confused with ApathyKilledTheCat. See also SchmuckBait.