A brass key hangs above a row of small wooden boxes, one with its lid open.

Original artwork, not a still

James Thurber

It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all the answers.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker ranks asking some questions above knowing every answer. The comparison values inquiry even when it is incomplete, challenging the appeal of total certainty. Its surprising reversal makes curiosity sound more worthwhile than the satisfaction of having nothing left to ask.

Context reviewed

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