'Curiouser and curiouser' - Weekly Reflection 26th April 2026

Curiouser and curiouser…

This phrase is from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (London: Macmillan & Co., 1865), by the English author Lewis Carroll. 

“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English.”

And on curiosity we are all probably aware of the phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat.’ However, are you aware of the full proverb that makes a tad more sense, the full saying is ‘Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.’ The moral of the proverb is to avoid curiosity for curiosity’s sake if you should be minding your own business. When someone says ‘curiosity killed the cat’ they are warning you that curiosity can be dangerous and lead to misfortune if left unchecked by wisdom.

I have just begun to read ‘The Devil You Know’ co-authored by Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne. (Faber & Faber 2022). Dr Gwen Adshead gave the fascinating Reith Lectures in 2024 exploring evil and violence. BBC Radio 4 - The Reith Lectures, Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence, Can we change violent minds?

The Lectures are drawn in part from the book, especially with some of the case studies. For that is what the book offers. Twelve people who have committed crimes of violence.

Adshead is obviously curious and it is this curiosity that drives her work with some of the most damaged and damaging people as one of the leading forensic psychiatrists in Britain. The danger for readers is a morbid curiosity and wanting to pour over lurid details. 

However, Adshead’s motivation in inviting us to step into the treatment room and meet these twelve people is to try and demonstrate there is a powerful case to be made for rehabilitation over that of revenge, compassion over condemnation and empathy over fear.

What is our motivation for being curious about another person? The range of motivations cover a very broad spectrum from wanting to gain power over them, maybe to do them some harm. Or more benign, we may want to really know who they are and what struggles they are facing so that we might be able to help.  However, that carries a health warning, as in the full proverb quoted above, ‘curiosity killed the cat’ is a warning that curiosity can be dangerous and lead to misfortune if left unchecked by wisdom.  I can tell you from my own experience when trying to help someone I got way out of my depth and because of others factors I was dealing with at the time, I had a break-down. Thankfully nothing too serious and after some rest and recuperation I was soon back at work. But that little brush with the danger of going out of your depth was a valuable life lesson. I now know the signs and will take steps to step out, step back, or whatever is needed to keep myself safe and the other person safe.

However, overall on balance having a healthy curiosity of the other is good and can help society to flourish.

I don’t want to go down an Alice’s rabbit hole scenario and talk about the ongoing conflict between the USA and Iran, but it would seem obvious that the USA Administration have very little understanding about the Iranian culture.  Conversely it would appear that the Iranians do have a curiosity about the USA and western culture, which, for the most part, they have chosen to reject.

I am drawn to the story of the Samaritan woman Jesus encountered at the well as recorded in John 4. And I am curious about Jesus’ curiosity. Jesus' curiosity about other people, his curiosity about the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the lepers, the prostitutes. Was Jesus curious about other people?

And why the Samaritan women – well, after her encounter she went and told the villagers, ‘come and meet a man who has told me everything I have done.’

Now, I have no problem with ‘divine revelation’ there are several stories like this in the Scriptures. There are also many people who will claim to have a divine revelation about someone and often accompanied by a message from God. So, no problem there.

However, what I would struggle with, was if Jesus always took the short cut route and when encountering someone called up a heavenly record to fact check on the person.

I think Jesus was immensely curious about people. So much so that this got him into trouble. Because he was curious about the sorts of people who didn’t matter in the eyes of the rich and powerful and the leaders. (See Matt.23.4)    However, the little people, the outcasts, the prisoners, the poor, deaf, the lame and the mute. We see Jesus spending time with such people. Because, as with Gwen Adshead, Jesus knew it is the sick who need a physician.

I wouldn’t dream of stepping anywhere close to the sort of thing Gwen does. However, we can listen to her story, as she invites us to listen to the stories of those whom society has cast down, cast out, and most often cast away.

We can listen and learn wisdom about what is a healthy, good and an appropriate curiosity about the other. We can learn to listen attentively to the other as well as learning to listen to the Spirit, being open to what the Spirit may disclose.

 I hope something in this reflection has piqued your curiosity!