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

[coulditbeme2323]

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

This question is prompted from reading comments online re The Met Gala?

Now let me prefix this by saying I have no interest in reality tv, Showbiz mags, etc - but surely there are some people who you know who they are because everybody does!

There were people saying "who" on a photo of Kim Kardashian. I have never seen an episode of the show, have no interest in her, but of course I know who she is - because how can you not?

Another British example is Jordan/Kate Price. No interest in her, but she has literally been headline news in The UK for 20 years. If you live in The UK - surely its impossible to not at least know who she is?

😂 at all the people getting uppity and assuming others are lying cos they’ve not heard of or wouldn’t recognise Kim Kardashian!! 😂

I know who she is but she always looks different in every picture I see of her so unless she’s labelled I’m never sure!

Apparently you can tell a persons age by asking “what is Kylie’s surname” whilst me and my friends (& most cool people imo) will say Minogue, apparently anyone under about 42 will say Kardashian. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Now this would suggest that Kylie Kardashian is more famous and more relevant that Kylie Minogue, that’s great but again, to me she always looks different (and really sad for some reason) in every photo I see of her so again, unless she’s got a label, I would probably draw a blank as to who she is.

Unlike the Queen, Kylie Minogue who is instantly recognisable and lovely!

I don't know what she looks like.

Jordan has had load of work done, so that's probably 50/50.

I did see a pic of Nicole Kidman, apparently, and didn't recognise her either...

I do recognise loads of politicians tho - both sides of the Atlantic, so maybe that offsets my ignorance.

Sorry if you feel I'm superior. 🤷🏻‍♀️

What @Nesbisays! Everyone is different, OP. Maybe you just need to get out more and meet different people.

lol

I realised too late to edit my post that her name is Kylie Jenner not Kardashian! I’m sure they’re related somehow though!

I guess this makes me sound like I think I’m morally superior eh @Lomonald ? 😂

Oh I don't think Cardi B is as famous as the other two 🫣 just saw someone mentioned her upthread and couldn't think of anyone else... I suppose the other Kardashians/Jenners might have been a better example. Or footballers, I don't know any of the newer ones' faces.

I do recognise loads of politicians tho - both sides of the Atlantic, so maybe that offsets my ignorance.
Sorry if you feel I'm superior. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm with you there, Josh!

Yes - OP might be referring to one cateogory of famous people, but like you, I know lots of famous people but they tend to be politicians or people famous for cultural reasons.

And I'm sorry if that makes ME sound superior!!😂

Sometimes I know people's names but would have no idea what they look like, so I'd definitely struggle at picking people out of a line up. But by the same token, I'd probably be able to pick a lot of sportspeople or authors out when other people wouldn't have a clue as that aligns more with my interests.

I'm sure you find it hard to believe that certain artists remain beyond some people's remit, but the myopia this illustrates is only your own, not theirs. If certain people don't listen to specific radio stations, or read particular publications, but listen to and read others then it's entirely likely for those people's music never to have crossed into their orbit.

Shocking though it seems, people don't necessarily like the same things.

You could equally say that people who follow Katie Price and read her books are…well, let’s just say it isn’t a sign of taste or intelligence. I hardly ever watch TV and know virtually nothing about popular culture. I am neither proud nor ashamed of the fact. It just doesn’t interest me. The vast majority of famous people are talentless show offs who got lucky. And the vast majority of stuff human beings produce, from movies to TV shows to pop songs, is worthless drivel. But there have been enough good books and paintings and pieces of music produced over the last 3,000 years to entertain me for ten lifetimes.

Yes. I just don't like pop music - never have, even as a teenager. I know a bit about pop from my youth but nothing nowadays - why would I? My grown-up children don't like it either and I haven't got any grandchildren.

So would OP know about classical composers, or 19th century writers or French New Wave film directors??

As you say, we all have different interests. I just have no interest in what (I guess) would be considered mainstream slebs. Can't help that, sorry, OP!

I wouldn't be able to pick many celebrities or sports stars out of a line up. I have heard of Kim K but would not recognise her. I don't watch TV and skip any celebrity news online as I'm just not interested. I probably would recognise a few politicians but I have poor facial recall so not necessarily!

I also find it very hard to believe that someone could not name one single Taylor Swift song

I can't name any song by her. I've never knowingly heard her singing. She might have been playing in the background or on a soundtrack but if so I didn't recognise it and it clearly didn't make any impact on me else I'd asked /Shazamed it.

I can't either tbh. Nor can my partner ( just asked(

But people like the OP make out that makes you a snob. It's tiresome.

I'm one of those who don't know what KK looks like (and can't name a Taylor Swift song). I know who Taylor Swift is but she could be working on a checkout counter in Sainsbury's and i could chat to her without knowing. I don't know what people look like. I very very carefully curate the news I consume and what I do online for my MH, not because I'm snobby. I am generally not a visual person anyway (I don't watch videos, for example.) Again, not snobbishness it's just the way my brain works.

I do know what David Beckham and Kylie Minogue look like, if that helps, and loads of A list actors (I watch movies).

Takes all kinds to make a world.

I think it depends. If you are talking about someone who doesnt go on social media and has no interest in celebrities then its totally reasonable that they dont know any of them!
However if its someone who is quite media savvy and aware of popular culture then they are probably just being abit of a twat.

I do ok I think. I would probably recognise a Kardashian but probably couldnt tell you which one was which! Not too great on some of todays musicians either unless they are really famous.
TBF I think the Met Gala this year had quite alot of influencers and C list celebs so its not surprising that most of them were question marks!

It's tiresome and makes me think OP must be about 14.

I remember when I started one job and someone heard me discussing a Radio 4 programme. This silly woman immediately called me a snob for listening to R4..

There are some very small-minded people out there!! They need to get out more.

How can you care for someone you know nothing about? i think if you care about some celebrity you know nothing about then you need to give your head a wobble.

Intrigued then I suppose is a better word.

I've had some funny conversations with my adult children and with friends which go something like this:

'Do you know who that man is with really, really white teeth and a beard - he's on the such-and-such advert?'

Followed by them trying desperately to guess who I'm referring to. I don't even watch ads - I mute them and go to the loo or make a cuppa, but occasionally I'll become aware that the person on the ad is meant to be well-known and I feel I should educate myself.

But it's still not always easy to find out who these increasingly plastic-looking specimens are! If I say 'She's got long, blonde hair, full lips and bushy eyebrows, frankly it could be anyone (but might be Carol Vorderman....).

This reminds me of when I was doing my PhD and another student (who was so aggravating in so many ways) interrupted my conversation with my friend where we were talking about Love Island to say she had no idea what we were talking about because she didn’t even own a TV! I told her that was good for her and carried on talking to my friend. It was quite funny a few months later when it turned out she’d just binged Breaking Bad so I asked her how she’d watched it as she said she didn’t HAVE A TV and she said on Netflix. So apparently wasting hundreds of hours watching shows is okay on your laptop but criminal on a TV. People are smug about some very strange things!

I agree
I am of the opinion that they know exactly who the celebrity is

Ah I see, have only heard of the It's a Knockout Stuart Hall which is what this thread is proving really, that we may not genuinely know who a celebrity is.

I know the name Kim Kardashian’s but couldn’t point her out in an ID parade, same with Katie price. I don’t think it says I’m more or less intelligent, I just have zero interest in any of these people, I therefore don’t retain any information about them,