My friend used to sing a song to her small children that said, “Be careful, little eyes, what you see.” Singing it, she sounded joyful, nurturing, and wise. Her children would join in the song, as though even they understood that some sights and words would not serve them well in their tender years. They sang with their mother’s joy and with carefree trust.
A Valuable Discipline
The first time I heard this song, I marveled at how candidly it spoke of shielding children from moral danger. Curiosity is a powerful and necessary tool. It drives children to explore and examine their world. But some things need to be explored only in their due time. For children to learn to curb their curiosity is a valuable discipline.
In time, of course, adolescents need experience in order to mature. Living in a bubble will not allow one to develop the emotional strength needed to deal with the challenges of life. Even if it were possible to shield teenagers from every negative experience, curiosity and ambition drive young people beyond the shelter of childhood. They run headlong into life with eyes, ears, and arms wide open. Given the proper upbringing, this is as it should be.
Recently, I was reminded that even mature adults need to temper curiosity. Some things we are simply better off not seeing or knowing. How beneficial it is for us as adults to continue the discipline of monitoring what our eyes and ears witness.
A Fine Line
We all can probably think of things we wish we hadn’t heard: An unflattering report about a neighbor. Entertainment that includes violence or temptation against virtue. Even news stories can be problematic, giving excessive graphic coverage of horrific events, and capitalizing on someone’s traumatic experience. How much more at peace we would be, had our eyes and ears been sheltered from those images and sounds.
Does this mean we should never engage in conversation, or never watch the news? No, but we need to be selective in the degree to which we expose ourselves, especially to sensationalized news stories. There can be a fine line between a healthy, Christian concern for the struggles of our fellow humans and a morbid curiosity about a catastrophe or scandal.
Recent Traumatic News Stories
Sadly, American news has provided an ample quantity of traumatic viewing lately. From terrible flooding in Texas to multiple tragic shootings, we have witnessed human suffering of the worst kind. The loss of life, the harrowing experiences of survivors, and the grief-stricken families who have lost loved ones pull at our heartstrings, so much so that we find ourselves glued to our screens for news in the aftermath. Sometimes, too, disasters have political ramifications, and the fallout further divides the polarized nation.
Rightly, we offer prayers for the souls who passed, for those who are bereaved, and for peace in our nation. Rightly, we resolve to assist the survivors of natural disasters and to support crime prevention measures. Wrongly, we may obsess over news updates, editorials, and social media posts scrutinizing every aspect of the tragedy.
News outlets and social media platforms can exacerbate the situation by serving as venues for content that is grossly inappropriate for the public. For a short time after the recent murder of a popular speaker, video of the shooting, bleeding, and collapse of the victim was visible online. Later, the shooter’s disturbing text messages were made public. Vile words that two separate murderers inscribed on their weapons have also appeared in the news. Meanwhile, strangers on social media deride one another over political differences somehow associated with the tragic events.
Psychologists and criminologists can aid society by examining such things. Furthermore, the public has a right to know of tragedy in their midst, and to realize the degree of evil manifested by a crime. However, at some point, individuals need to decide when enough is enough for their psychological and emotional well-being.
St. Thomas Aquinas on Curiosity
A Christian needs to consider the concept of sinful curiosity. What motives make a person want to witness a reprehensible crime, and in so doing, trespass on the respect due to the victim? How does it benefit one to know the twisted words of a hate-filled murderer? If the only answer is that we are curious, we may want to close our computer screen or shut off the television. The choice to boycott objectionable content won’t erase it from the internet, but it will preserve some measure of peace in our hearts.
St. Thomas Aquinas wrote about sinful curiosity in Summa Theologiae. He lists four issues relevant to the discussion here. According to Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe at focusquip.org, St. Thomas indicates that curiosity is morally questionable in these cases:
- When it interferes with our other responsibilities. Following a news story or social media thread can be time consuming. Have we put an inordinate amount of time into satisfying our curiosity?
- When we seek information from “unlawful teachers”. Certainly, the internet has its share of unlawful teachers.
- When we fail to refer our study back to our ultimate goal (which is heaven). St. Thomas warns against “empty and perishable curiosity.” Does our curiosity lead us to charitable thoughts, or is it empty and perishable?
- When we seek to know what is beyond us. Some details of a criminal case may be unhealthy for an individual to inflict on himself or herself.
Sometimes it’s necessary to put childhood lessons to use yet again. Such is the case with sinful curiosity. The discipline to guard our eyes and ears can preserve peace in our hearts.
Work Cited and Consulted
Briscoe, Patrick Mary. “St. Thomas Aquinas on Curiosity: Is It a Virtue or a Vice?” Fellowship of Catholic University Students. 3 January 2023. https://focusequip.org/st-thomas-aquinas-on-curiosity-is-it-a-virtue-or-a-vice/. Accessed 17 September 2025.
1 thought on “Be Careful What You See”
Very well expressed. Media saturation in times of tragedy is a great temptation that is easy to rationalize away as genuine concern. But do we need all the gory details to commit those who have suffered to God? Certainly not. Better to put down the cell phone and spend a few more minutes in quiet prayer for them. I think this is a struggle for lots of us.