Curiosity Quote by Blaise Pascal
“Curiosity is only in vanity. Most frequently we wish not to know, but to talk. We would not take a sea voyage for the sole pleasure of seeing without hope of ever telling.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Pensées, Blaise Pascal, 1670
People often seek knowledge only to boast, not for genuine understanding; curiosity becomes a tool for vanity.
In simple terms: Curiosity is often used to show off.
Key Takeaway
Seek knowledge for its own sake.
Themes
vanity
knowledge
communication
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- social media
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
epistemology
ego
social display
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you value learning over impressing others?
- How does sharing knowledge benefit you?
A Different Perspective
It can also foster genuine learning when intentions are pure.
![“[77] Pride. Curiosity is only vanity. We usually only want to know something so that we can talk about it; in other words, we would never travel by sea if it meant never talking about it, and for the sheer pleasure of seeing things we could never hope to describe to others.” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/665/blaise-pascal-167_curiosity_77-pride-curiosity-is-only-vanity-we-usu_158938.jpg)
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
![“[T]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. [...] The point is, perhaps, that I am not looking for a verbal answer, just as when I ask for a kiss, I do not want a piece of paper with "A kiss" written on it. It is rather that metaphysical wonder looks…” quote by Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/705/alan-w-watts-9497_curiosity_t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no_3984.jpg)
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
