To think general knowledge quiz shows do not give a measure of intelligence, just of memorisation skills?

[pennypinchh]

I am totally rubbish at all quiz shows, trying to play along on the couch and never know anything! But I don't understand why my family say I'm not that smart just because I don't know some obscure fact about the TV show Frasier, which I've never even seen! Has anyone else been shamed because of this?

Thank you EveryPlanet! I am not alone

@chomalungma

A good general knowledge doesn't mean you're intelligent.

And being intelligent doesn't mean you have a good general knowledge.

This.

@pennypinchh

I didn't know marmalade was made from oranges! The more you know

Tbh OP this sort of thing might be why you don’t do very well at generally knowledge quizzes. This has honestly floored me, what did you think an orange flavoured sort of jam with orange peel in it was made from?!

Not so much unintelligent as unobservant.

I haven't had marmalade since I was 5, and I don't bother looking for it in the supermarket... Damn I come on here and get shamed more!

It's an interesting discussion though isn't it - our brains and memories all work in very different ways, therefore there will also be a conversation to be had around what constitutes general knowledge and also intelligence.

I think the key is retention of facts and the roots of ideas along with the diversity of reading and listening and interest.

Eg I remember learning about Seville oranges when I was 13 in a Spanish lesson, it s just a fact that stuck with me.

Some people remember them, others don't 🤷‍♀️

@pennypinchh

I also think the schooling system killed my curiosity - I look up scientific stuff because it's important for work, but if I don't HAVE to know something I won't bother to look it up. The same methods we adopted during exams

This is a huge complaint about standardized testing in schools. That teachers are forced to teach to the “test,” and students are forced to learn not what the teacher feels makes a good education for the year, and not what their curiosity leads them toward while still being relevant to subject, but only what will help them pass the test so that schools won’t lose funding or have their ratings affected. I think it’s extremely harmful, and it absolutely kills natural curiosity right at the point when it should be cultivated the most. I’ve heard several people suddenly take up reading for pleasure again in their 20s or so, after saying some variation of, “Oh, I lost all my enjoyment of reading after being forced to read assigned books, and I just now found it again.”

Does marmalade strongly taste like oranges? I can't even remember

Absolutely RightYes, I used to be a bookworm but when we were forced to read Of Mice and Men for the third year in a row I lost my love of reading. I haven't read a book that wasn't a textbook since I took my English A level

It's also what you are interested in - listening to and remembering.
Eg I didn't realise about the origins of the word marmalade until reading this thread.

I agree and I have a weirdly good memory, therefore am pretty good at quizzes. But I’m terrible at cryptic crosswords for example. Memory is helpful for exams so seems to be a highly regarded form of intelligence.

Totally agree. The education system today is rigid, prescriptive and serves only the schools’ league tables and therefore the government. It’s a factory.

It is not in any way set up to foster curiosity or a lifelong love of learning in children. So sad.
I say this as an ex teacher.

The ability to remember is part of intelligence according to OED.

So because I have ADHD (part of which is trouble recalling things) I am classified as less intelligent?

Yeah but the people on this thread are 20 years out of school (generalisation)
I don't think schooling was ever free - it was a about being taught to the bare minimum for the majority of people. Up until about 20 years ago only about 15% of kids went to university and only 15% were taught to that iykwim, I dont know if it is a modern thing

OP. It's not about the fact the contestant didn't know it was Seville, more that her answer was Scotland!

However, you must be a little bit dopey not to know marmalade is made from oranges. The colour is a frickin big clue to start with. If you're coming out with things like that I'm not surprised people tease you!

So I've just embarrassed myself in front of my family and then came on here and embarrassed myself again xD

You didn’t know marmalade was made from oranges?! #mindblown

Despite eating a lot of home made marmalade, I'd never heard of Seville oranges or Seville the city until I did Shakespeare in secondary school. I can't even remember which play but there is a pun where someone refers to someone as "civil". I remember thinking "it isn't funny if you have to explain it!"

Let’s just say quizzes aren’t for you.
I agree with the first response from @DianaT1969 it’s all about being exposed to experiences as well. It’s not just what you read in a book, it’s where you’ve travelled to or wanted to travel to. Places you’ve been, programmes you’ve seen, food you’ve tasted, food you’ve cooked and so on.
I can retain lots of information for various random facts. I’d have known the Frasier question as I love Frasier. I’d have known about the oranges of Seville as I’ve travelled everywhere

She did say she hasn't eaten it since she was tiny! Did the worms put you off, OP?

I like to think I have a good memory of general knowledge partly due to years of working in a library and supplying answers to random questions. We used to be told if we don't know the answer, we have to know where to find it and this was long before Google!
Dates is my specialty not just historical ones. If you've ever told me your birthday or even a member of your family's, I can recall it. I freaked out my school friend of over fifty years. We only meet up once a year and she challenged me to name her parents and five siblings birthdays. I can remember the birthdays of former classmates even back to primary school.
Personally I would measure intelligence by how well you are able to problem solve and spot connections.

Worms?? o.o in marmalade??

"Let’s just say quizzes aren’t for you"

I agree

I haven’t eaten marmalade for about 20 years, I know what it’s made of because it’s just common knowledge and I’m amazed anyone doesn’t know that. I’ve never had foie gras, I know what it is.

You seem to be cross that you’re expected to know things that most people know and you don’t. You’re obviously clever when it comes to what you do but maybe you just aren’t as smart as you think you are?