I think the parent comment is using "peer behind the curtain" not to describe insight into the physical universe and its wonders, but rather insight into the 'human universe' and its various disappointments (like how it's often non-meritocratic, the difficulties of making meaningful change, the political shietgeist, being better able to predict a decision's potentially disastrous consequences, etc)

Yes, that's the other side.

I think it's a bit sad, really. Baring a discovery that fundamentally changes how the universe as we know it works, we'll very likely never communicate with another form of life. We'll never leave our solar system. We'll probably never even see images of other solar systems, much less galaxies. The universe is an amazing thing full of stuff that would probably sound far-fetched in a science fiction novel and we'll never even get to know whether it exists. If I could be dumber and more preoccupied with the material lifestyle of most people, I'd probably be happier.

You're being pessimistic.

We went from inventing powered flight to landing on the freaking moon in less than 70 years.

In any case, I suspect that you may not be satisfied no matter want reality was. If you had interstellar travel you wouldn't be happy without intergalactic travel.

Even if you only see your own planet, creation is beautiful. (FYI, you happen to be living on the most amazing planet known.)

I've said it this way: I'm happy that I'm smart but being smart hasn't always made me happy.