# Do you respect some areas of "trivia expertise" yet disdain others? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117 "2025-04-16T21:49:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/61 "2025-04-18T18:47:38Z")
Yeah. I think it might be more reasonable if Dr. Strangelove cited to an article in Discover or something more aimed at a general audience, than [phys.org](http://phys.org). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/62 "2025-04-18T19:02:21Z")
Back before my brain cells started dying I won many bottles of wine at restaurants with trivia contests, ruled at Trivial Pursuit, and got on Jeopardy my first try. Not that interested in sports trivia, but as others have said, don’t disdain it. I just haven’t spent time reading the sports pages to bone up on it. Early baseball I’m good at because I read lots of baseball books as a kid. My trivia expertise just comes from a good memory and wide reading. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/63 "2025-04-18T22:11:46Z")
My trivia knowledge is pretty broad – when I did trivia\* I can say I was the MVP. Sports is what I am worst at (though I was the only one on my team had any clue about Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak\*\*) I don’t disdain anyone who knows more about stuff. Brian \* My every other week trivia died with Covid. I tried once to restart with no luck \*\* I knew it was 50-something but this wasn’t a multiple choice question ans: 56 ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/64 "2025-04-18T23:17:36Z")
I’m good in some areas of trivia and I suck at others, but it’s not like I really disdain the areas I suck in. That being said, we get a lot of one-day special quizzes in the online trivia league I’m in, between seasons of the main competition, written by players on specific topics. While I look at every quiz and see if I know at least one question, regardless of whether I actually take the whole thing, sometimes it’s a niche topic I know nothing about with questions that sound like complete nonsense. Sports writer and talk show host Tony Kornheiser, Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive book series… (Of course, I assume there are niche quizzes I’ve taken that sound equally nonsensical to people unfamiliar with the topic. C’est la vie.) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/65 "2025-04-19T07:21:42Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I think it might be more reasonable if Dr. Strangelove cited to an article in Discover or something more aimed at a general audience, than [phys.org](http://phys.org). I swear to god, all I did was search their site for “MPa” (megapascal) and it came up with this: > **[Strong-stomached scientists develop a (hilarious) hand-pumped artificial...](https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/strong-stomached-scientists-develop-a-hilarious-hand-pumped-artificial-vomiting-machine)** > > Strong-stomached scientists develop a (hilarious) hand-pumped artificial vomiting machine. Which contains the lovely sentence: > Simulated vomitus matrices at low (6.24 mPa\*s) and high (177.5 mPa\*s) viscosities were inoculated with low (108 PFU/mL) and high (1010 PFU/mL) concentrations of bacteriophage MS2 and placed in the artificial “stomach” of the device, which was then subjected to scaled physiologically relevant pressures associated with vomiting. Well, even I learned a new phrase today. I’ll have to work “vomitus matrices” into my speech from now on. Regardless, that turns out to be _milli_pascal-seconds. And–I had to look this up because I actually didn’t have the figure at my command–room temperature water is at just about 1 mPa-s. So their simulated vomitus is anywhere from 6x to 177x as viscous as water! Aren’t you glad you learned something? ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/66 "2025-04-19T10:43:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The meter I know, temperature I would have to sit for a minute or so with some paper to remember where the 32 goes and whether it’s 5/9 or 9/5, A “close enough” way to do C to F that is easier to remember is F = 2\*C + 30. I learned this from Bob and Doug Mckenzie. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/67 "2025-04-19T11:13:47Z")
Why does the average person need to convert temperatures from C to F? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/68 "2025-04-19T11:17:31Z")
I’m genius level at comic book trivia. I’d kind of rather be a genius about music, literature or finance. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/69 "2025-04-19T11:52:06Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Where a word’s letters are scrambled (jumbled) and you need to figure out what the word is from a clue and a picture and then find a final word(s). Thank you. There is so much popular culture that has passed me by. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/70 "2025-04-19T12:27:48Z")
“Genius at trivia” doesn’t really work, does it? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/71 "2025-04-19T13:25:12Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Why does the average person need to convert temperatures from C to F? When we Murricans read technical stuff, all the temps are in C. Which numbers mean nothing to us until F-ified. The rest of the planet is smart enough to already think in C, so has no reason to ever mess with F at all. Except when reading the informal drivel of Murricans in places like the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/72 "2025-04-19T18:41:55Z")
I don’t know about the average person, but whenever I’m traveling abroad and see the local weather reports, I have to do this calculation. And I do a lot of traveling. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/73 "2025-04-19T19:36:15Z")
I just kind of know it by feel, without needing to remember an exact formula. 20 is room temp. 0 is obviously freezing. 50 is about as hot as it gets anywhere on earth, and you can just kinda guess in between. (I also remember 30 is about 85, so that fills in a blank.) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/74 "2025-04-19T21:06:52Z")
Fill in your °F numbers as appropriate to the entries in this handy dandy guide: -10°C = Extremely Cold 0°C = Cold 10°C = Chilly 20°C = Nice 30°C = Hot 40°C = Unpleasantly Hot 50°C = Complete Insanity I’ve never experienced any temps colder than -10, but most other temperate and polar-adjacent countries do get quite a bit colder than that. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/75 "2025-04-21T00:12:00Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I find most anything associated with comic books and super heroes to be silly, especially debating pitting this one against that one in a fight. Like you and me? Put 'em up, Comic Noob! > [@Grrr](#): > > I tend to be impressed with comic book fans because I feel they are able to enjoy (or be annoyed by) the movies on a deeper level that I can. I make a point to watch Marvel flicks with our minister, who’ll notice minutae in the background, and identify characters who’ll be important later. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/76 "2025-04-21T00:23:26Z")
Thanks, **GuanoLad** , for the “How ºC Numbers Feel” list. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > In general, I enjoy listening to people who are really keen on a particular topic. I love this, too! I had a Short Story Party once. I’d love to have a _Tell Us About Something We Don’t Care About (Yet)_ party… . Reminds me of teaching a design class that was half-asleep. So I walked in, went right to the board and intoned: > The Michelson–Morley experiment of 1887 was _awesome._ It _totally_ disproved everyone who thought the Earth swam through a Luminiferous Aether… The students woke up, got into it, and one of them said “If we knew you were smart, we would’ve listened more all semester.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/77 "2025-04-21T00:45:55Z")
I have a slightly different scale: -40 C = Huddle under the blankets -30 C = Work from home day -20 C = I hope the car starts -10°C = Getting nippy out -5 C = Maybe time to get out the gloves and toque 0°C = Chilly 10°C = Nice day for a walk 20°C = Getting hot 30°C = Hot 40°C = Unpleasantly Hot 50°C = Complete Insanity ---
**Author:** ![Onthefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de053/32.png) [@Onthefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onthefly)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/78 "2025-04-22T21:45:05Z")
I had a VW with a Celsius thermometer. I can do it in my head 30 years later. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/79 "2025-04-22T22:42:18Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I have a slightly different scale: In my biz we worked in C & thought in F. Lotta conversions. As to your chart I’ll offer mine: \<30C = move someplace warmer 30-35C = perfection \>35C = time to go swimming or get another iced cocktail. Or both. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117/80 "2025-04-23T13:02:45Z")
Toxylon > “Genius at trivia” doesn’t really work, does it? Well, it sure doesn’t pay… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-respect-some-areas-of-trivia-expertise-yet-disdain-others/1017117.md?page=3)