Knowledge

[Renton 17848]

I can't remember a time when I haven't read and absorbed knowledge just for the sake of it. I dropped geography for 'O' level due mainly to a shit teacher and not having enough options available but its always been a great love of mine - I can read atalases for hours. History at school was taught by a teacher who was very exam focused so we only learned what we had to but since then I think I've absorbed a good spectrum. That applies to more general knowledge as well.

 

Used to be a keen pub quiz goer and I still have an underlying desire to do Millionaire - the usual nerves disclaimer aside, I've quite easily done full runs to the top prizes watching.

I used to when I was a bairn, always used to fuck me off that Newcastle upon Tyne was in medium sized letters, and Liverpool in big letters. I know the world back to front in terms of where places are.

 

 

I used to love Atlases too (still do in fact but now it's Google Earth). My Atlas had the populations of all the major cities in the world, always amazed me that Newcastle ranked outside the top 20 with a given population of 210k or something - obviously something to do with boundaries. There were literally hundreds of US cities listed as being bigger.

[NJS 3986]

I know the world back to front in terms of where places are.

 

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world.

[McFaul 35]

I know the world back to front in terms of where places are.

 

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world.

I reckon I could name 80%.

[NJS 3986]

My Atlas had the populations of all the major cities in the world, always amazed me that Newcastle ranked outside the top 20 with a given population of 210k or something - obviously something to do with boundaries. There were literally hundreds of US cities listed as being bigger.

 

Bit topical given the tour announcement but I went to the US for the Washington/Columbus games in 2000 and it amazed me that Ohio has 3 or 4 cities bigger than Birmingham - including Columbus which I'd never heard of prebiously.

[NJS 3986]

I know the world back to front in terms of where places are.

 

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world.

I reckon I could name 80%.

 

So could I - it gets a bit difficult when you get to Carribean and Pacific islands though. You also need to keep up with former Soviet republics.

[Howmanheyman 27048]

I always find it quite amazing what people know about the big wide world and how they know it.

 

Example, tonight they were talking on question time about our involvement in the partition of India and Pakistan????? WTF

 

How do people learn all these various facts about the world.

 

I just went to a normal comp, recall history being fairly dull, but even for those who enjoyed it, theres only so much it covered.

 

So your very bright and go to uni to be a doctor etc etc. Many people who dont take History at a higher level can turn out to be still very culturally aware about the worlds history.

 

How?

 

Was uni so dull that they just read or watched lots of historical things?

 

Im not a great reader, but even if I was I wouldnt throw myself at a book covering the partition of India and Pakistan.

 

Its quite telling on here that there are a few who seem very informed about these sourt of things and I would genuinely be interested to understand how you have built up this knowledge.

 

It could be India, the french revolution, the american civil war, suez etc etc

Television documentaries but mainly reading books and newspapers*.

 

*(Not the Daily Star, aka Peter Andre and Jordon's diary).

[luckyluke 1]

I thought this thread was going to be a taxi driver thing.

 

I do find it a bit funny though.

 

"you know stuff? How do people, like, KNOW stuff?"

 

Erm, they read?

[trophyshy 6434]

gently

[Howmanheyman 27048]

I thought this thread was going to be a taxi driver thing.

 

I do find it a bit funny though.

 

"you know stuff? How do people, like, KNOW stuff?"

 

Erm, they read?

Me too, (as CT started the thread).

 

CT may be interested to read about Julius Caesar's demise in front of Pompey's statue.

[McFaul 35]

I know the world back to front in terms of where places are.

 

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world.

I reckon I could name 80%.

 

So could I - it gets a bit difficult when you get to Carribean and Pacific islands though. You also need to keep up with former Soviet republics.

Aye like the other day I was watching a bet I had running on line, and I knew Tashkent was in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan but couldn't remember which.

[catmag 336]

I'm another one who used to read the atlas for hours. My parents had this huge atlas with all kinds of other stuff in about planets, weather, mountains, clouds etc and I loved it. I've always been a bookworm and loved watching the news, even as a kid, and learning about what was going on in the world.

 

Travelling abroad always makes me realise how much I don't know too. When I was in Africa I learned so much about history, culture, nature, people and a thousand other things that it made me want to know more. Travel really does broaden the mind.

[Christmas Tree 3997]

I thought this thread was going to be a taxi driver thing.

 

I do find it a bit funny though.

 

"you know stuff? How do people, like, KNOW stuff?"

 

Erm, they read?

 

 

I've come across plenty of so called professionals who are thick as mince and working class types who know limitless things.

 

What I was getting at was non history geeks come to know detailled stuff about stuff!

 

The example I gave in the OP was the Indian / Pakistan partition ( this week Cameron apologised for our part in it).

 

Now I guess that this was a huge thing, however there will be few on here that fully grasp it. As there will also be those on here who do not understand why Israel is where it is etc.

 

Surely if you didn't study history or specifically seek out a book about the partition, it's quite odd how so many people in public life have a full grasp on it.

 

Like Parky I probably watched too much x files.

[NJS 3986]

Surely if you didn't study history or specifically seek out a book about the partition, it's quite odd how so many people in public life have a full grasp on it.

 

TBF in this instance he would have had a team briefing him so don't assume he was that aware (non-political point BTW)

[McFaul 35]

I'm another one who used to read the atlas for hours. My parents had this huge atlas with all kinds of other stuff in about planets, weather, mountains, clouds etc and I loved it. I've always been a bookworm and loved watching the news, even as a kid, and learning about what was going on in the world.

 

Travelling abroad always makes me realise how much I don't know too. When I was in Africa I learned so much about history, culture, nature, people and a thousand other things that it made me want to know more. Travel really does broaden the mind.

Totally. Going on beach holidays is lush, but I want more than that now, what you did in South Africa, was 100000000000 times better than an all inclusive in Turkey or Spain imo.

[Meenzer 14095]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/worldcapitals.php

 

[Jill 0]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/worldcapitals.php

 

 

Oh you just had to link Sporcle, didn't you. That's fuck all getting done this afternoon then.

[Meenzer 14095]

It's Friday, it's Sporcle day.

[McFaul 35]

114 but am not having that like. 115 I put Tirana in 6 times and it wouldn't take it, it says it's Tirane, is it fuck it's Tirana, Albania always has been always will be.

[Meenzer 14095]

It took Tirana for me (even though it showed up as Tirane) - they're normally quite good with accepting alternative spellings. Strange.

[Meenzer 14095]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/world.php

 

This one's a bugger too.

[snakehips 0]

I thought this thread was going to be a taxi driver thing.

 

I do find it a bit funny though.

 

"you know stuff? How do people, like, KNOW stuff?"

 

Erm, they read?

 

 

I've come across plenty of so called professionals who are thick as mince and working class types who know limitless things.

 

What I was getting at was non history geeks come to know detailled stuff about stuff!

 

The example I gave in the OP was the Indian / Pakistan partition ( this week Cameron apologised for our part in it).

 

Now I guess that this was a huge thing, however there will be few on here that fully grasp it. As there will also be those on here who do not understand why Israel is where it is etc.

 

Surely if you didn't study history or specifically seek out a book about the partition, it's quite odd how so many people in public life have a full grasp on it.

 

Like Parky I probably watched too much x files.

 

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned Fred Housego to you. Why? Because he was the first ever winner of Mastermind and his occupation was.....a taxi driver :icon_lol: A London cabbie he was, which is a far cry from driving a Trabant around South Tyneside Anyway, his knowledge (no pun intended) was gleaned from reading (quietly and very loudly perhaps ) anything; from books to the side of a breakfast cereal packet.

 

Personally, I like history. English history in particular. I haven't read any fiction since Pickwick Papers, around ten years ago, as I much prefer the real stuff. I don't study it as such, but the odd bits and pieces stick in the dark recesses now and again.

 

Like you, I have met plenty folk (professionals, with loads of qualifications to their name) who didn't have the common sense they were born with. Common sense is real intelligence, imo, not a load of bits of paper saying you have learned something. Common sense is a gift of life, but vast knowlege is largely obtained from voracious reading (loudly or quietly) but can also be gleaned from watching documentaries (speaking of which, BBC did a great drama documentary on the Indian independence and subsequent partion some years ago. The boundary between India and Pakistan was drawn up by a British civil servant btw).

 

Hope you've learned something there, rickshaw boy

[Meenzer 14095]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/Bumble/worldcupteams

[Happy Face 29]

Think it was in john peels memoirs where he talked about a private education giving him some knowledge of almost every subject. I think the problem with the people on qt a lot of the time is assuming that a sprinkling of knowledge qualifies them to make policy. See George osbourne and our economic policy for example.

 

The arrogance of some people that know a bit often infuriates me. I'm not even certain in my knowledge of what I want for tea. That's why I like Dan carlin, as recommended by someone on here. He's fucking clever, but always wants to be told if he's wrong or forced to explain himself more clearly.

[McFaul 35]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/Bumble/worldcupteams

75 out of 81. Serbia and Montenegro is a trick one, and who's ever heard of "Dutch East Indies" anyone who says they got that is a liar.

 

http://www.sporcle.com/games/Freddie/championsleagueteams

 

Have a go at that, I got 106/121

[Christmas Tree 3997]

I thought this thread was going to be a taxi driver thing.

 

I do find it a bit funny though.

 

"you know stuff? How do people, like, KNOW stuff?"

 

Erm, they read?

 

 

I've come across plenty of so called professionals who are thick as mince and working class types who know limitless things.

 

What I was getting at was non history geeks come to know detailled stuff about stuff!

 

The example I gave in the OP was the Indian / Pakistan partition ( this week Cameron apologised for our part in it).

 

Now I guess that this was a huge thing, however there will be few on here that fully grasp it. As there will also be those on here who do not understand why Israel is where it is etc.

 

Surely if you didn't study history or specifically seek out a book about the partition, it's quite odd how so many people in public life have a full grasp on it.

 

Like Parky I probably watched too much x files.

 

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned Fred Housego to you. Why? Because he was the first ever winner of Mastermind and his occupation was.....a taxi driver :lol: A London cabbie he was, which is a far cry from driving a Trabant around South Tyneside Anyway, his knowledge (no pun intended) was gleaned from reading (quietly and very loudly perhaps ;) ) anything; from books to the side of a breakfast cereal packet.

 

Personally, I like history. English history in particular. I haven't read any fiction since Pickwick Papers, around ten years ago, as I much prefer the real stuff. I don't study it as such, but the odd bits and pieces stick in the dark recesses now and again.

 

Like you, I have met plenty folk (professionals, with loads of qualifications to their name) who didn't have the common sense they were born with. Common sense is real intelligence, imo, not a load of bits of paper saying you have learned something. Common sense is a gift of life, but vast knowlege is largely obtained from voracious reading (loudly or quietly) but can also be gleaned from watching documentaries (speaking of which, BBC did a great drama documentary on the Indian independence and subsequent partion some years ago. The boundary between India and Pakistan was drawn up by a British civil servant btw).

 

Hope you've learned something there, rickshaw boy

 

 

I have indeed, very interesting.