# Seemingly normal people that have no common sense or awareness of current events **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234 "2009-02-17T04:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/61 "2009-02-28T00:09:21Z")
I am prone to throw in expressions from Shakespeare, into my conversations…like "when my ship comes in " (MERCHANT OF VENICE); “it was greek to me” (JULIUS CAESAR), “boil and trouble” (MACBETH). I have people ask me what I was talking about- Iguees people don’t read Shakespeare anymore.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/62 "2009-02-28T08:10:57Z")
> [@BaneSidhe](#): > > And she pretty much has no clue about music from about 1980-2001. You mean, of course, \*\*\*your \*\*\*kind of music, right? Tell me about classical music from 1980-2001. How many operas can you name? How about musicals? There are many, many different genres of music, not just the ones you listen to. Perhaps your friend isn’t the only one who’s clueless. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/63 "2009-02-28T08:17:33Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah, but in the middle of the U.S. you have two countries within 1,000 miles of you, and culturally one of them is pretty much identical. In the middle of the U.K. you are 1,000 miles from maybe a dozen countries, all of which are remarkably different. There are a lot of people in the middle of big countries who will never travel to another country and therefore have no vested interest in learning about them. Sad, really. I lived on Long Island for a while, and I knew people who were born and raised on Long Island, who had never been to New York City, within commuting distance. They never went to a game or a museum or a Broadway show. They were afraid of getting mugged. There are also people born and raised on Manhattan, who never leave. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/64 "2009-02-28T09:26:10Z")
I remarked about this online recently, not sure if it was on AIM or on a message board… But a week or two ago someone asked if I’d heard about the whole plane that landed in the Hudson river. They’d just heard about it and were completely shocked. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/65 "2009-02-28T10:32:23Z")
I used to follow the news. In fact, I had and have such a broad general education I made it through round two of a super-difficult Dutch TV-show, Jeopardy type. I used to think following the news somehow made the world a better place. And it does but in a very, very indirect way. If I consider how bad following the news makes me feel, it’s just not worth it. As a consequence, there are more and more topics where I admit I don’t know enough about to have an opinion that really matters. And that is a relief, actually. Like I said in this thread: [" People who don’t follow the news"](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=167848) > [@](#): > > I’m one of those people that do not follow the news. I only read local news and background articles. > > For three reasons: > > 1 News is not good enough. > 2 News distorts our vision of the world > 3 News is mostly about things outside my circle of influence. > > 1. Has been covered by other posters. Working for the government myself, I know how complex decisions come into being. History-ridden, haphazard, “human all to human” but also with the best of intentions and ability. > When I read about these same outcomes in the press, I do not recognize a thing. News is grossly simplified to the point of outright lying. > Winners and losers are appointed when that can only be destructive for the whole. The facts in matters of conflicting interest are distorted by spindoctors and the powers behind them to manipulate the public opinion (Yes, you, avid news watcher! You did not think those were your own opinions now, do you?). > And lastly, sometimes news that will affect everyone is just not put on, because it is too complex. > > 2 > News is about political scheming, war, rape, crime, disaster and passion (pswrcdp). > These things are (thank god) just not the stuff everyday life is made of. Life is about the little happy interactions, deeds, feelings and thoughts, remarks and little squirmishes within yourself and with the people around you. Little but important. Important to you. Even if pswrcdp hits in your life, the really important part starts _after_ the reporters have left. (This is the part where Ophrah usually comes in 🙂 ) > News distorts that vision of the world. Not just brittle old ladies lock themselves in their homes after reading about the crime-rate. Not just daft people think their life are empty, if passion is something you have to work for instead of getting swept off of your feet by. > Not just frustrated trigger-happy men regard Achmed the local halal-grocer with suspicion after reading about U.S.-hate in the Middle-East. > Not just pessimistic & cynical people think this world is a terrible place and progress has brought us nothing but misery. > > 1. News is about things outside my circle of influence. > Lemme put it this way: > I do not watch the news. I try to be a wise & happy person to myself and those around me. I do volunteer work in my community. I write an occasional letter-to the editor about the very few matters I care deeply about and thus have made a well informed opionion about. I write letters for Amnesty. Come election day, I inform myself efficiently and I vote. > > John X does watch the news. He gets himselve worked up about the situation in China and Africa. He rants to his wife, kids and friends about " why those ass-hole politicians cannot do a fucking thing right". Thus spoiling many a family dinner, and filling many a pleasant beer drinking evening. Come election day, he informs himself, (or not) and votes (or not). > Same outcome, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/66 "2009-02-28T10:49:14Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > Or fashion trends in piracy. OK, seriously, what _do_ pirates wear? I assume they have a lot of pretty fresh gear, since they’re probably the richest guys in town, right? Hostile Dialect, Hostile Dialect, Narcissist ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/67 "2009-02-28T13:28:53Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I don’t think music is in the same category. I couldn’t care less about music. With a very few exceptions, music of all kinds bores me. My mp3 collection effectively hasn’t changed in nearly 10 years, and I won’t listen to 90% of what’s in there. I spend a lot of time listening to my iPod, but it’s all downloaded BBC radio programs. I’d much rather listen to something that makes me think. But that’s just me, and I don’t think less of people who are in to music. I’m just saying it’s possible to be oblivious about music and still be a well-informed individual. hijack … you might like the 24 hours of podcast on Folkways Music I got off itunes for free … nice history about folkways records, and the artists and the history of Moe Asche interspersed with music and vocal performances. It was produced by Canadian Public Radio, I really recommend it. Gives you music and data =) and you migiht hear something that you like that otherwise you might never have heard =) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/68 "2009-02-28T13:39:41Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Those people frighten me. I almost view them as a different species altogether. How in the world can you have absolutely no reading material in your house? I realize this is an elitist attitude of mine, but I simply do not understand it. I have a vapid friend, an architectural digest quality flat … and she gets 3 magazines that are displayed on the coffee table and changed out when the new one arrives. Id like to mention that I have never seen her read anything other than a menu, though I assume she reads her monthly bills when she pays them [but I wouldnt swear to it] If you are interested, the magazines are Vogue, Vanity Faire and People. I can understand vogue, and even vanity faire, but people !!! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/69 "2009-02-28T13:55:34Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I totally agree with you. > But while my parents took us traveling, we never left the continental US. In school, I got no “World History” or “World Geography” until I was about 12 or 13. We had “Current Events” in class where we had to bring in newspaper articles, but the US news media doesn’t really talk about international news. International news is something individuals have to expend a tiny amount of effort to find, but even that tiny amount of effort is a barrier to someone who isn’t interested. I’m not sure \*how \*to force people to develop an interest in world events. The day the Cutty Sark got firebombed, _nothing_ appeared on teh local news in the morning. About 10 am I shot an email off to them complaining that they never showed any news that wasnt local. I specifically mentioned the Cutty fire. I got a response saying that they had covered it, and as proof I could check the website and see the news blurb that they had up. So nyanyanya they _did_ do international news! It was timestamped after my email to them. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/70 "2009-03-01T01:25:43Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > When I was a kid I was utterly astounded by the adults I could see on the streets of New York City being taken in my the Three Card Monte hustlers. I thought Three Card Monte was the “Find the Queen” game. Every youtube video seems to be showing me how to cut off a card and have three cards while spoofing the one in the middle. Have I got the wrong name, or what? What is the name of the FtQ game? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/71 "2009-03-01T01:29:04Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I am prone to throw in expressions from Shakespeare, into my conversations..like "when my ship comes in " (MERCHANT OF VENICE); “it was greek to me” (JULIUS CAESAR), “boil and trouble” (MACBETH). I have people ask me what I was talking about- Iguees people don’t read Shakespeare anymore.:smack: No, it’s much worse than that. I’ve never read those plays, but the phrases are in the educated language. I’m one of the confirmed nerds who has half the time “just read something about that” on whatever subject, but I have to say those phrases are just out there. You don’t need to be a lit geek. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234/72 "2009-03-01T01:38:14Z")
My cousin who would happily live on World of Warcraft barely knows what day it is & therefore never votes. I’m glad he never votes, really, for the integrity of democracy. He does understand technology stuff pretty well, but he’s not generally “current” on things of any variety. My mom has never been online that I’m aware of. There are a lot of subject-specific space cadets out there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-normal-people-that-have-no-common-sense-or-awareness-of-current-events/486234.md?page=3)