Looking for ways in which to improve my general knowledge

[Abitannoying]

Hi

I feel as if there are large gaps in my general knowledge, and have thought this for a long time - so wanted to know which books and current affairs magazines etc people might recommend?

I feel as if I am lacking in all kinds of areas and often feel inadequate.

I guess if I read in the evenings instead of scrolling on the internet it might be a start!

All suggestions really welcome!

I used to get most of my day to day stuff from R4, but it’s changed a lot, or I have! Follow news sites and areas of interest on Twitter, read the weekend papers, get emailed newsletters and journals about things I’m interested in. Just follow where my interest goes really.

The Times has just launched its own radio station - you can download an app for it.

Get a newspaper subscription - one of the broadsheets for preference.

The Today programme on Radio 4 is still just about tolerable, although most of the other programming is very 'woke' now which can be irritating.

Look for TED talks on YouTube. These cover a range of topics designed to increase your knowledge and awareness. Most are around 20 minutes long.

I used to use the randomize page on wiki and read a page every night before bed. I am now an expert on a number of truly random and eccentric concepts, events, and people.

I've learnt a lot by listening to podcasts. There are thousands available for free on a range of topics. I have a long commute so listen on my drive home. Alternatively you could listen through headphones or smart speaker whilst doing household tasks, or out for a walk etc.

I enjoy podcasts around health related subjects and women's issues. I have been trying to learn more about race impacts and black history and have listened to podcasts on this. TED talks are also available in podcast versions when you can listen but cant watch.

If you have a bit more time you could try a MOOC. These are free online courses in every topic under the sun provided by some of the world's leading universities. Have a look at edX and Coursera.

I like watching TV quizzes and googling anything that catches my interest in the questions.

I actually think scrolling the internet is very good for general knowledge , although it depends what you are scrolling . Other ways to improve are watching documentary’s and also watching quiz shows like Impossible and Pointless as you pick up little bits of information that get stored in your brain for future reference . For history I like a Lucy Worsley documentary ( usually to be found on BBC4 / i player as they are informative without being too heavy .

Podcasts.

Quite a lot of good documentaries on youtube.

The Week is great to catch up on a synopsis of the news. Echoing pp, podcasts or MOOCs depending on your interests and how much time you have. For British history "This Sceptred Isle" was a great radio series you can get on cd, it would be worth seeing if you can get any second hand or from the library.

When I'm properly up on current affairs and they're as complicated as they have been over the last few years I can listen to several hours a day of radio analysis while I work.

Depending on how you fill your days, I can quite often do a good chunk of my work with a podcast on. Some parts of my job are really complex but others I can have half an ear on a podcast or the radio. I'm lucky because my boss doesn't mind, not that he'd know now we're all at home.

I use my library card to get online access to interesting magazines for free: national geographic, new scientist, the Economist and sometimes Time magazine or the week. I also use it to get copies of the telegraph and mix and match that with the guardian online, so I see a slightly more balanced picture.

Then I also just really read about anything and everything - non fiction books, googling anything I hear about like a war or a disease or whatever. I'm still not great at knowledge of poetry or art or a whole range of things but I just love learning. The open university does a few free online courses which I've done one or two of as well.

I'm really enjoying the BBC Newscast podcast at the moment for an entertaining take on current affairs. Although the main guy is on holiday next week so it isn't the best week to get a true reflection.

Sounds silly but look up general knowledge quizzes, may not always be current affairs but I find short snappy trivia stays in my head easier.

Thanks very much to all of you for all the suggestions .

Jetpunk is good for quizzes, particularly the geography ones.

My DS really loves the Jetpunk quizzes. He does a lot of geography ones and through those has gained interest in the history of countries.

He’s spent a long time looking up the history of wars/invasions etc. so is now pretty knowledgable about certain countries.

Readly has a great selection of magazines and has the independent (not really my thing but I read for balance) and the Evening standard on there.

I am enjoying my subscription to the Telegraph more than I thought I would, so I'd recommend that.

Readly has a great selection of magazines and has the independent (not really my thing but I read for balance) and the Evening standard on there.

I am enjoying my subscription to the Telegraph more than I thought I would, so I'd recommend that.

Think I've learn more on quiz shows and reading pub quiz question books than I ever learned in FT education.

Download the Sporcle app- it'll really help with list based trivia

I second the suggestion of The Week.

I also learn a lot from Radio 4, various podcasts and TED talks.

Take something/someone you are interested in and then start making connections. For instance:

You watch a movie: Thomas Crowne Affair
You become interested in modern art, then you research modern artists..
Or you become interested in the process of insuring museum art...

There are so many opportunities to increase your general knowledge, especially if you focus on the background.

Blink list is good it's abbreviations of lots of famous books.

It's an app you can do a free trial

Play 6degrees on Wikipedia. It's quite fun. Pic an end goal say 'Henry Viii' then randomise you're wiki page and you have to get from whatever that is to Henry Viii only by clicking the blue links in the articles. Try for 6 but less is better. Make sure you read some of the articles you click to and you'll learn loads.
General knowledge isn't just current affairs.

That's evil newphone

I had no idea you could do that.

I think the rest of 2020 for me is lost to a black hole of wiki-dom.

Thanks for the extra suggestions . Am going to log them all.

If you like reading I recommend Bill Bryson books, he goes of on a funny tangent into details and you learn without knowing it. In particular his Short history of nearly everything.
BBC Sounds app has got loads to listen to - Science, History, Literature etc.
Hope this helps. Good luck 🍀