How do you get culturally aware?

[user100987]

Probably a misleading title but what I mean is - I try to read a newspaper once a week (sat or sun) and watch a bit of telly and use social media (prob a bit too much) but I never feel like I'm up to date on things like what new films are out, interesting places to travel, all that sort of stuff. Obviously I occasionally get this from friends and colleagues but I just have this feeling that I'm missing out in info - partly due to info-overload I think. How do you keep or get up to date on things? If this makes sense and you have any advice please let me know!

Why do you feel you need to know all these latest trends?

Yes, to me interesting places to travel probably don't change all that much. And I find I don't need to bother finding out about the latest films because they'll either be shit and I'll never hear of them again, or they'll be good and then they'll be on telly the following Christmas so I can catch up then :)

Seriously, for TV, books, films, holiday destinations etc, I tend to just ask my friends or colleagues whose opinion I respect if they have any recommendations.

Maybe you just need to spend a bit of time thinking about what interests you and use that as a starting point for example - politics, travel, green issues, fashion, live gigs, galleries/museums, sport, gigs, food etc.

Once you have your interests you can start to build up a knowledge bank and you may find this links to other areas for example, food could lead onto travel, which could lead into current affairs.

I think you should narrow it down a bit to what really interest you. I’m a voracious reader so I read the book pages and supplements of the Guardian, Observer, and Irish Times, the LRB, the TLS, and have subscriptions to various new writing magazines etc.

The Guardian and Observer culture supplements are a good place to start for new book reviews, music, films, exhibitions, theatre. Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s radio film programme on 5live is good for new films.

Reading, reading and more reading.
On my reading list for this week are the history of the world, lost countries, the race to measure the heavens. How Britain really works, the lost words and Everywoman.

Thanks everyone! I don't necessarily mean latest trends JoJo. I think what I meant to ask is how to filter out the information overload to get the desired info I need. I agree that it's about narrowing down interests. I get my books/reading info from my monthly book club. I just sometimes feel I'm not very culture-savvy and I want to be! I like the advice about the guardian supplement I will definitely start doing that (and putting phone down more to stay off social media etc which is a time waster for me)

I just read Mumsnet 🤣🤣🤣

I was going to say Mumsnet too. The forums are great for lots of different viewpoints.

I also listen to LBC radio.

Mumsnet
Robert Elms on Radio London
Sign up for emails from venues or artists, interest groups etc
Follow organisations on FB (don't use it for anything else)
Private Eye
No newspapers, ever!

I read a lot. I used to be a member of GoodReads, thinking it would help me find other books that I might like to read. I found that in fact it recommended stuff that was just terrible. Books that were nowhere near the same genre/style of books that I had read before.

I also used to read the culture section in The Guardian but I find that way off too.

Now I find writers that I like and then read everything that they have published. Some people might not like to do this but I find it to be a real treat, digging into this entire pile of books where I pretty much know I am not going to be disappointed.

With tv, I watch a select few series. It's just trial and error. I usually like crime-based or noir-ish style tv shows and there are plenty of those on offer. Not all good but keep picking at them until one appeals.

The main thing, especially with popular culture like modern books, tv and movies, is to find things YOU like. What's the point in going through ten series of a tv show just because some other people said you must watch it?

Radio 4, especially Start the Week on a Monday morning and Front Row in the evenings.

The High Low podcast always starts with a round-up of what the presenters have been watching and reading.

PS I read this after hearing about it on the High Low - it might strike a chord!

longreads.com/2019/04/26/when-did-pop-culture-become-homework/

Some fantastic suggestions here that I will try out. Many thanks!

And I read the Radio Times. It's a very good magazine and means I know a bit about a lot of TV programmes without watching all of them. It also has books, gardening, financial advice, crossword etc.

Oh yes - I use Gogglebox to get a digest of all the telly I haven’t had a chance to watch.

Ha ha! RT contains a lot of culture info, not just TV listings although they are useful too

There are lots of things like fashion events that I haven't a clue about but I am usually up to date because I work in a newsroom I usually know things half an hour or so before every one else too which is fun.

I read the news on my way to and from work and then I sit surrounded by news every day and get press alerts telling me everything that is going to happen.

Not useful to you but keeping up to date really is a full time job (literally for me) so I can see why you'd feel out of loop!

But isn't "news" different to culture?

I read the news on apps btw. The Sun, DM, Guardian, NY Times, Telegraph, I, Buzzfeed.

All of them - 1-3 stories each day

@SunshineDay22 have you used Goodreads explore tab? Then you can search by genre and it shows the top 30 most read and new out books from that week. V useful

@Davros yes news is different but most newspapers have culture, magazines, lifestyle and fashion sections and PR people don't seem to differentiate so we get all the press alerts from various things. And if you work across departments you suction it all up anyway

Personally I'd rather not get the "news" part though

Guardian every Saturday and Observer every Sunday for me. Loads and loads of cultural stuff - book reviews, art, theatre, food, music - gives me a starting point and I can skim over the bits I'm not so interested in.

For local stuff, there are some free style magazines and food magazines that get left in bars and I always pick those up to leaf through and see what's going on.

I'm on the mailing list for all the cinemas and theatres in our city so I get sent emails telling me what's on.

Also, Twitter for local stuff is excellent. I follow loads of people who have the same interests and everyone posts recommendations all the time.

For books, I know what authors I like so I will always read whatever they publish. I then use the book review columns for new ideas and go from there.

Nextdoor is good and I agree with local papers

The Sunday Times supplements are your friend op. A quick scan through the culture bit will keep you up to date with films, music and telly. Style for fashion, magazine for current affairs, home and travel bits for well, home and travel.
I don't read the actual paper as don't have time but the supplements are very good.