Curiosity Controlling Desire

"Their violation of social roles was depicted as a violation of the order of their being: their ambition to know, to know the hidden, and/or to know more than they were told condemned them as traitors to their own species. The curiosity of these social challengers made them curiosities themselves." (Benedict 2)

Does having curiosity paint an individual as rebellious?

The quote above really forced me to think about the negative connotations that could be associated with curiosity. From my viewpoint, curiosity is always a positive thing. I think of it as a medium for driving creativity, discovering new ideas and forcing the brain to formulate different relationships and connections between pieces of information that are already known. To contradict these ideas, I found Benedict's "Inspecting and Spectating: Monsters, Rarities and Investigators" quite interesting.

Throughout the early 18th and 19th centuries, curiosity was considered a violation of society. Through discovering new ideas and formulating different social norms, these curious people were looked down upon. I especially love the part of the quote that says, " The curiosity of these social challengers made them curiosities themselves." (Benedict 2) These innovators were considered rarities that changed society. I suppose that everyone is afraid of change and when it comes to societal norms, that cannot be touched. Despite this, I don't believe that people should be looked down upon simply because they have a hankering for inquiring about foreign ideas.

"He who is deemed a monster in a monstrous society, however, may be a hero in a moral one." (Benedict 5)

It is quite interesting to contemplate this quote because individuals may think that this is not accurate. In reality, when putting it into the terms of the political tides that our country is run by, our society forms unanimous opinions upon the leaders within our world. When the country is in turmoil or at war or troubled in any way shape or form, we become irate when any major decision is made by the President or a senator or any political figure that could be governing the public. Monstrosities become larger because they are powered by the conformity of society. Therefore, by exploring a new option or declaring a different option, the curious are considered dangerous and harmful. It is all fueled by popular opinion.

Ultimately, our society would be benefitted by the drive that the curious have. We need more individuals who aren't afraid to break the mold and challenge morals and drive rebellions in a positive format. Hopefully, one day these ideas will be fulfilled, even after over three hundred years.