I feel like I lack basic general knowledge

As a child I used to love encyclopaedias but now, even though the internet has negative connotations, used sensibly, it can be a great source of information. If I come across something I know nothing about or an unusual word I always look it up.
I am often amazed how I can dredge up an obscure piece of knowledge from my brain that I didn’t even know I possessed!

My theory is this: before I know it I will be dead and gorn and all my knowledge with it. So .... I just learn about things that pique my interest and do not worry about other things that I do not know and now never will.

A simple routine that helped me was focusing on consistency instead of trying to learn everything at once. I spend 15–20 minutes a day reading about one topic (history, geography, science, etc.), then write down 2–3 key facts in my own words and review them once a week. Repetition is what makes the knowledge stick.

Also, don't compare yourself to others. Most people build general knowledge gradually over years through curiosity and regular exposure, not by memorizing everything at once.

I am an avid quiz fan, and if I hear a question or answer that I do not know about, I will often Google it. However, I cannot follow films, directors actors and what they did; possibly because it does not interest me.

Wyllow3 and Nomadica are spot on about curiosity and interest. I can also add creativity and imaginatuon to the mix. I think these four things cause expanded knowledge. You have to go back to how a very young child learns. Children are learning constantly. Why? Even with no schooling, every day is a learning opportunity. Put your elder self back into montessori and be curious of things that interest you. Be creative with your imagination on those subjects. Some teachers have used extra school work as a punishment for untrained pupils. This causes a lifelong disability. Learning should instead be a reward like a sweet dessert for those children who challenge their saturation of new wisdom.

I suggest you listen to some good quality podcasts.

While I do the boring tasks around the house I listen to "The Rest is History" which is on Spotify and covers many interesting topics. It is also free!

There are well over 600 episodes, I have just finished 6 episodes about Queen Mary of Scotland.

There are also episodes about Prime Ministers, Famous People, Battles, Global Politics and off beat stuff like the history of chocolate, beards, football, cricket etc.

The two men who do the podcasts are both well educated people who have a great raport, are funny and absolutely know their stuff.

Learning new things is great for your brain function, it helps keep alzheimers at bay so good luck.

Having a good general knowledge used to be something to be admired

However as you get older and because the World changes fast with differing values.

A lot of knowledge and former facts become outdated, irrelevant and frankly redundant and meaningless to each new generation.

Don't worry about having a good general knowledge. Just learn about subjects you are interested in and enjoy.

And Google the rest.

Happy Days
😻🦉
X

I’ve always enjoyed absorbing knowledge. I would agree that being curious and reading about anything and everything is the answer. Watch the news and all kinds of documentaries, do quizzes, crosswords, read fiction and non-fiction - and travel! It broadens the mind. 😎

For me, building my general knowledge was done by watching the 6 o’clock news every day and sometimes the Channel 4 news at 7 o’clock. We bought The Sunday Times every week, even though it took me a week to read it all. I read the BBC website every morning.
Hope this helps

I find that most older people do have a lot of general knowledge stored somewhere in their brains. Sometimes it takes a while to retrieve a particular piece of information, I refer to my brain as non digitised and still in rolladex mode. When I watch quizzes on tv I do find generarally speaking most of the younger generation do not have much general knowledge but their immediate recollection of of pop culture and social media is quite stunning.

The internet can be very helpful for looking up stuff, event though you have to be careful of AI mistakes. I can remember reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica to find answers and accidentally finding out all sorts of things.

They were great for learning useful things like the advice I read aged 8 to always shake your shoes out in case snakes were asleep in them!

I did mean find out as much as you want. Stop if you're bored and move on to another topic.

If you are interested in science, the bbc have a science section which sends out emails with short articles on anything scientific via the Lunch Time Genius. Short enough articles to read in your lunch break but with links to associated articles

Choose a topic or subject area and find out as much as you want about it.
I'm aware that my knowledge of physics and chemistry is next to non-existent and have been inspired to try BBC Bitesize.
And I absolutely agree that historical novels are brilliant for filling in the gaps.
Philippa Gregory is excellent, as is C J Sansom.

Interest. If you're not interested it'll be a chore.

Keep your eyes open and read everything that comes your way every day since you were 5 years old. Or, if necessary, start now! Talk about intelligent subjects with your friends instead of chit-chat. But you might find they’re as uninformed as you!

I find wikipedia is a great help with anything and everything - we'll 99.9% of what I look up.
if i'm reading a historical novel for instance I will look at the main character if there is one. recently I read a book which was set at the start of the war of the roses - plenty to look up there on wikipedia and generally once I was on one page there was something else to look at.
I love plants so I 'read' gardening books and even plants catalogues for names.
I also love to cook and 'read' cookery books and find out about ingredients.
wikipedia can also be used to look up various countries, historical people and also illnesses! it's a wonderful tool.

I like to watch the Chase and think I have reasonably good general knowledge but some of the questions are so obscure, I think are they really “general knowledge? Some but not many are so difficult.

I saw that request too.

Elegran

You (or someone with the same name) have a lot of internet presence on various social media platforms and interest groups, keronbwan , so I don't think you need to worry too much. You have varied interests and the ability to ask questions, so you will be able to gather information from many areas. Are you seeking information sources to help in utilising an AI application?

You’re not wrong. I’ve just read exactly the same request on another site.

Probably a well-known anagram in some internet circles. The name is common to posters in various groups.

For the erudite quiz addicts;

Keronbwan is an anagram of wanker nob.

Quiz!!!!

Cossy

I agree, I learned far more after my school and college years than I ever did actually at school/college.

Read, research, use the internet, newspapers etc.

Identify how your learn best (ie your preferred learning “style”) and those things you want to learn about and are interest in.

I’m still pretty rubbish at world geography and sciences. But, I have far more desire to learn about those things now and I enjoy looking at atlases and maps online and reading up on science based subjects.

You could enrol online on any number of free online learning resources or classes or look at adult education classes in your area.

Good luck and you’ll find your own way of retaining facts.

In some subjects at school, I think I learnt a framework on which hung subsequent facts I heard. My science framework is poor so stuff like Attenborough programmes or documentaries about space exploration goes in one ear and out the other.

In answer to keronbwan, Sporcle is useful. I do remember learning PMs of UK a while back entirely from one Sporcle quuz

I did a Google search of "keronbwan" and found incidences of that name.

Keronbwan (and anyone else) could find all kinds of things by searching for them. In truth, putting your own name or username into a search engine can make you VERY careful what you post on the internet, including on Gransnet. Once something is on the net, it is there for ever, for everyone to see!