the importance of general knowledge

[yes]

some people are really bent on having a good idea of world history, current politics, classics of litterature and music and cinema and art, certain trivia, etc - it's like a range of subjects one has to be very up on, otherwise u'r not cool at all. (i was just consoling a friend who feels inferior to those who posess such general knowledge.)

 

i guess my qn is ... how important is knowledge as i described above to YOU? in yourself, in friends, in a mate? how do you feel abt ppl who're focused on their work, family, hobbies, and don't even care for the general knowledge i described?

 

-yes

[dyermaker]

Originally posted by yes

i guess my qn is ... how important is knowledge as i described above to YOU? in yourself, in friends, in a mate?

Somewhat important, it's nice to discuss things that are currently going on, and allusions are sexy.

[monkey00]

i guess it is important, gives you a more overrall knowledge about everything and gives you something to talk about.

 

some of my friends are taking Urban Science, and sociology...you dont need this to succeed in life, but the school requires u to take it. but all in all this type of stuff is to broaden your perspective...which i do agree it do soem good.

 

as my HS teacher always used to say, Math changes the way you think, which is definitely true.

[moimeme]

I am interested in lots of things, but that'sjust how I was constructed. History is not a biggie for me; I like to have a general sense of it but I've no head for dates and names; I'm a theorist, not great at detail. As for the rest, I decided in high school that I wanted to know what the fascination was with art, classical music, and those sorts of things. I tried 'em - and found I liked them. I generally love learning about - well, life!

 

In me, it's a passion. I have friends who are all that you describe; with each I share some interests or sometimes it's just our world view that we share.

 

Every now and then, (very rarely) I have the great good fortune to find a friend who is similarly interested in life and with whom I can share a great deal, including interests that we don't have in common. That would be the ideal in a mate, but friends don't have to be interested in as many things.

 

It's not about being cool at all. It's just about folks with similarities enjoying the points at which their interests intersect together. If some or all of those subjects bore you to tears, that's just you.

 

Now I've got to go watch a show on String Theory

[Tony T]

There's only so much BS you can talk about with a partner until you need to get into more depth on some subjects. But the knowing partner can always educate the unknowing one and then go from there. I think people who are just closed off to learning new things, resistant to it, and wanting to stick to talking about the football game or school carnival are the one's I have to be weary of.

 

I always enjoy people who are smarter than me. It's boring to be the teacher...much more exciting to be the student. I already know what I know...I want to know what I don't know. To me, I am in awe of Darkangelism...I have learned so much about brevity from him.

 

Must add here that it's always nauseous when I run up against somebody who is pompous about what they know.

[jenny]

i have to say it's vital for me, and most of my friends. i hate not getting allusions - though i don't mind when only a couple of people get mine. (i have sometimes researched jon stewart's guests so that i will get the jokes - it's so lame )you make an interesting point, too, it's not so much a measure of intelligence as it seems to be of subjective 'coolness.'

 

is it important to you, yes?

[meanon]

It used to be really important to me. I could hold my own with anyone, anytime, anywhere . But life has changed without me realising it - shrunk to kids, work, nights out on the town for light relief and life long like minded friends. It wasn't until I joined LS that I realised how complacent and ignorant I've become. I'm filling in the gaps now - it's still important to me. But not important in choice of friends etc. I like people who challenge me, but you don't need a lot of general knowledge to do that, just a lively intellect.

[moimeme]

when I run up against somebody who is pompous about what they know

 

Totally agree, however the great thing is that nowadays, anybody can poke holes in someone's pomposity because information about all sorts of stuff is accessible to anybody due to TV and books. There are so many specialized networks now that anybody can learn anything - from string theory to soufflé-making even if you ditched math in grade 11 like me or can't boil water.

[yes]

thanks for all these replies

 

here's what i think, in random order:

 

-it's important for me that the person be CURIOUS (be it myself, a friend or a mate) - not necessarily very knowledgeable(sp?), but somebody who's ready and willing to learn and has a critical mind to process it. for me, the curiosity and the activity of the mind are more important than knowledge itself. in fact, i think that some people know too much - they're like walking encyclopedias - and all that info actually hinders their critical thinking.

[having said that, i think i have both curiosity (with limits, o'course) and a critical enough mind]

 

-but... if a person is curious, chances are that by the time they're in their mid-20s, they've just naturally learned a good chunk of the knowledge i described (this is where i dislike myself - curious, critical, but somehow i didn't end up learning much... partially because many things interest me while i'm at it but i forget very soon. e.g. i studied extensively green/roman mythology... but now i don't remember any of it, just the flavour of that world.)

 

-but... there are some people who're more about learning to DO stuff than about learning ABOUT things. they'll go learn to paint, to ride bikes or horses, to fight in a variety of ways, to grow weird plants, to ski, and so forth. i have respect for these people - even though they're sort of closing their eyes to the rest of the world, they're creating exciting experiences for themselves. they don't wanna READ love stories, they go HAVE love stories. i can respect that.

 

-people who just work and spend time with their family are boring, i think - cmon, gotta have some interests outside of your own bellybutton; although some people are just struggling to survive, so one can't really blame them for not taking an interest in other things.

 

-in my family, it's been emphacized that one must have this general knowledge, otherwise "shame on you!"; especially on the humanities side - not being up on sciency stuff is actually kinda cool

 

-in conclusion, i think it's all about balance, as usual. it's good to have enough general knowledge to hold up a conversation and catch some allusions (and ask for clarification if you're getting lost); it's also important to get out and DO stuff. that's what i'm trying to do whilst ignoring pressures from any side. also, if you are to ignore some field (e.g. i largely ignore politics), i think it's important to have clear reasons for ignoring it, and have a general opinion on things, anyway.

 

-yes

 

PS as usual, sorry about the lack of CAPS

PPS i also hate people who're pompous about their knowledge - i think it's a sign of stupidity and/or insecurity!

PPPS Tony, i think teaching can be quite rewarding. It makes you see the knowledge you share in a new light, and you get the gratitude of the student. That said, I also prefer being the student

[Thinkalot]

Really interesting subject yes.

 

I often feel a bit insecure over my lack of general knowledge. I work in the media for goodness sakes! So I basically know what's going on, but I don't remember details/places/names. Like you, I studied some things extensively at high school and uni, and now I don't remember the details at all. It's like I got all those distinctions and As and now the information has left my head! Academically I exccelled, yet my general knowledge has never been my strong point.

 

I tend to absorb things WHILE they matter to me, then later on I can't remember. When I was in Greece for example, I could tell you all sorts of info about the country, but I can't remember that now.

 

A bit like meanon said, I have become more slack in recent years, and being on LS made me notice that too. When I lived in Sydney in a busier workplace (by busier, I mean more people with General knowlede, some of them quite pompous and annoying) and I was single, I tended to keep up with things more.

 

Lately I have been much more absorbed with my own issues and obsessions (no kidding I hear you say!) and with my relationship and my family. The past few years a few issues have happened and much of my attention has turned towards spirituality and even psychology. Previously I knew little about those subjects, and now I find them fascinating, although certainly not everyone does, and talking about crystals is not seen nearly as 'cool' as discussing world peace ! I seem to have gone through a phase of spending a lot more time studying myself and those around me, and why we act the way we do. I can talk about the human condition at length, but probably can't give a good rundown on the latest current affairs. It's a lucky thing my job exposes me to things, because otherwise I would perhaps be more ignorant.

 

My partner has some general knowledge and is smart, but he is also fairly consumed in his busy job and our life right now. We are also "doers". Lots of sports and activities and travel.

 

I too, am trying to not look inward too much!

[moimeme]

by the time they're in their mid-20s, they've just naturally learned a good chunk of the knowledge i described

 

Some people might, but they won't have learned 'a good chunk'. There is just 'way too much to learn about everything!

 

but... there are some people who're more about learning to DO stuff than about learning ABOUT things. they'll go learn to paint, to ride bikes or horses, to fight in a variety of ways, to grow weird plants, to ski, and so forth. i have respect for these people - even though they're sort of closing their eyes to the rest of the world

 

It's all about interests, not intellect. They may think you're closing your eyes to the real world and living in your brain!! We're talking different sorts of knowledge, too. There is knowledge of facts, which is what you've been talking about. Some people absorb lots of facts and can spout them at will. There is the ability to understand theory, which is a different sort of knowledge. There is the ability to analyze situations and apply theories. There are the abilities to create buildings, paint pictures, and make music.

 

I'm hearing a little bit of 'one of these things is better than the other'. There isn't a need, IMHO, to suggest that someone who knows lots of facts is unable to analyze or that someone who can win a mountain biking competition is lacking because he can't talk about American imperialism. They are all different interests and types of expertise and it is fun to spend time talking to people who share your enthusiasm and expertise for something.

 

but somebody who's ready and willing to learn

 

There's the critical distinction, IMHO. Some folks dislike learning anything. Some people have decided they learned all there is to learn about something. I have trouble with both types of attitudes.

[Thinkalot]

Considering my position on the spectrum, your response is quite reassuring Merry. Funnily enough, and as you might expect, it is ME who worries about these type of things, while my partner does not give it a second thought, and is happy knowing what he knows, and doing what he does.

 

yes, I think moimeme makes some good distinctions about knowledge here.

[faux]

"Nothing is any good if other people like it." - Something from the Diesel Sweeties web comic.

 

The knowledge as you described it above is of very little importance to me. If something interests me I have a voracious appetite for learning everything about it. I was never very interested in much history, classics of literature and particularly the cinema.

 

Despite how shallow this makes me appear I find that others have trouble keeping up with me in conversation.

[jenny]

I find that others have trouble keeping up with me in conversation.

 

 

that must be very troubling for you.

[meanon]

"Nothing is any good if other people like it."

 

Sounds like a recipe for seeking isolation for the sake of it. Why do you feel the need to be so aloof from others?