Do people pretend not to know who people are in order to seem intelligent?

My DH doesn't know who lots of 'celebs' are. I would guess he probably knows Kim Kardasian, but not the rest of the Karadsians. Knows lots of actors though. But reckon he wouldn't know who most the people at the Met Gala were. Then again, he wouldn't be commenting on SM posts either!

I don’t think my mum would know who Kim Kardashian is from a picture (she’s mid 60s). I only know who Sabrina Carpenter is because a friend mentioned her and I said ‘who?’ And she preceded to explain I had been living under a rock. A lot depends on your lifestyle and the algorithm!

I know who barely anyone is. My brain just doesn't retain things like that and unless they feature in something I like then I'd have no way of knowing who they are.

I don't think it makes me seem intelligent or cool. Quite the opposite really!

I'm the same. I will often recognise the name but might not recognise a picture. Or I might think that they look familiar but I don't know which celebrity it is.

YABU it is nothing to do with intelligence. Just not into, or up to speed with popular culture.
I have heard of Kim Kardashian (the Trekkie in me changes it to Cardassian). I could walk past her in the street and not recognise her.

KK actually features in the higher brow media every now and again on account of the sheer amount of money she's made by "being a celebrity". My conservative, unfashionable mid-80s parents know who she is.

I know who both of them are. I'd recognise Katie Price, but I genuinely wouldn't recognise a Kardashian.
Most of my news comes from Radio 4 these days so no pictures.

If anybody is saying "who" to Kim K they are definitely acting ignorant and probably are being obtuse, i think it just makes look silly when they act superior like that.

This is so wrong in my case. I’ve heard of the Kardashians. I know they are in the public eye but I don’t know what they are famous for or how many there are.i have zero idea what they look like. I take exception to being called ignorant and obtuse. I have no intention of acting superior because I don’t know them. Basically my life revolves around my dog, my family, my friends, going out for tapas or to see a good band or show, and my hobbies.

Ooh how witty. Someone posted these names as an example of people everyone should have heard of. Clearly they aren't.

Exactly. I've heard of Kim Kardashian but I couldn't pick her out of a lineup. Or any of them actually

I know their names . Would recognise Jordan. I dont really watch much TV ive got really poor face memory and I'm not interested. My friends are like omg you would lose as the masked singer even if they didnt have masks. I couldn't pick most celebs out of a line up. I'm not "oh I don't possibly know who they are" because "im intelligent" on the most part I just don't know who they are

I am genuinely not sure…I know she is famous so I have certainly heard her name plenty…I know there is a reality tv show… but recognise her in the street? No. She could walk past me and I wouldn’t know. . I have a dull idea of Botox, ass and dark hair for Kim (but isn’t there a gaggle of siblings? If they were all lined up I wouldn’t know which was Kim). Then I have an idea of Botox, pout and blond hair for Katie Price but no idea why she is famous, (and no idea who Jordan is - did she transition to become a Jordan?)….partly I have no interest, partly I have terrible face recognition. …. but then I also wouldn’t be commenting on either of them on social media….. though I guess I have now. 😂

I know the name Kim Kardashian but I wouldn't know what she looks like. With a few exceptions I have no interest in celebrities and I expect a lot of other people feel the same. You clearly think that's a sign of intelligence, maybe it is.

I know who Kim Kardashian is, as in I have heard of her, but I wouldn’t be able to pick her out in a line up. I could with Katie Price.

I know who Katie price is and I know there are multiple Kardashian’s with first names that begin with K, but I have no idea what they look like nor would I be able to work out which one they were if I saw them in red carpet photos with lots of people. I feel like this bit passed me by as I was in hospital with my child for over 6 months with a lot of stress and missed big chunks of ‘popular culture’

I listen to the radio a lot - but rarely watch tv or read newspapers - I know the names of many people - but I have no idea what they look like - I wouldn’t recognize loads of them as no visuals involved over the wireless!

I couldn’t recognize a photo of a kardashisn or of many politicians in the uk - but I certainly have an awareness of many of them.

I could pick out all but Taylor Swift, who seems to change her look quite a bit. I wouldn't know a Kardashian if I fell over one.

I'm generally a bit shit with faces though. When I see famous people, they look familiar but I often can't put a name to them. I said hello to one of the Dimblebys in a supermarket once, because they looked so familiar I thought I knew them. The late Mr L took the piss out of me for days afterwards.

I don't follow anything really, I've no idea who anyone is and I don't care.
Anymore that is lol
Its called decluttering your mental space 😉

I have a friend late 60s who genuinely won’t have heard of people unless they were either famous 25+ years ago, a famous sportsman or a well known politician. The only thing he watches on the telly is sport, he listens to old music and ‘oldie’ radio stations and has no interest in celeb news at all. He genuinely won’t have heard of the Kardashians. There are people out there like that.

I’ve vaguely heard of the Kardashians. I don’t know what they do, how many there are and I certainly wouldn’t recognise any of them. I just have zero interest.

I think I could pick out Katie Price but def not Kim Kardashian. I’m aware there’s a family show about them. And some link to the black chap who parades around a near naked wife.
I am quite intelligent but don’t think ignorance of any kind makes me appear more so.

It’s not to appear intelligent , it’s to say they don’t think reality people should be given the photo time they are , or that they should be irrelevant

Yup, I have heard of Kim K but would not recognise her. I'm not sure id recognise Katie P either as she changes her appearance but I do know who they are.

Footballers though...no clue

Seem like terrible examples. I know who both are because I am old enough.

But I can genuinely say I haven’t hear kim kardashian mentioned in a very, very long time. Enough that plenty probably into their 20s could easily have had almost no interaction with the name and zero of what they have ever done.

Similar for Katie Price.

Unless you're working in an industry where you're going to come across a Kardashian, not sure it's helpful at all to know about them for anything.

I have to connect with people of different cultures and demographics in my role. I have never been hampered by not knowing much about that kind of thing. It does, in fact, open up a different conversation around what I do have interest in, and the same for them.