When I was reading a post by Cro yesterday morning a comment was made:
"As someone with a vast store of general knowledge in my bonce, I rather like the mental exercise that some TV quiz shows provide - including "The Chase", "Mastermind" and "University Challenge".....but I dislike slow-moving and banal quiz shows in which they spend more time guffawing than posing proper quiz questions."
Cro responded that it's the latter type that now seem to be proliferating and that he recently watched part of a Mastermind 'Celebrities', which was simply appalling. One contestant managed to obtain 5 or 6 (he thought) points from his two lots of questions.
The follow up comment was: "Normally 'Celebrity' means 'as thick as a plank' ".
One thing I do not like is people assuming that a lack of stored trivial (or any) knowledge is the same as being 'thick'. It smacks of arrogance.
When I was reading law I was told that I would never get good exam marks because I couldn't remember all the case names, regnal years and so on. It's true. I can't. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I have an appalling memory and always have had.
What I could do, and was complimented for my ability at, was to analyse the issues. Given the fact that in 20 years of advocating in planning inquiries I only lost one case I advised was winnable, I am satisfied that I'm not thick.
Doubtless there are many people in my life who have regarded my appalling memory and complete lack of interest in storing trivia as 'being thick'. Fortunately there are others who hold a different view.
