Not just Americans: Embarrassing knowledge gaps

[nmoira]

I was was recently embarrassed to admit I'd never heard of Ida B. Wells. And I totally could not recall Boticelli at trivia earlier this week (as in, "Who painted The Birth of Venus?").

 

:blush:

 

Anyone care to share theirs?

Edited September 19, 2012 by nmoira

[TravelingChris]

I have never heard of Ida B. Wells and when I googled her, I still don't recall her. But I am of the opposite political bent and am not sure that I am interested in her either.

[Spy Car]

I was was recently embarrassed to admit I'd never heard of Ida B. Wells. And I totally could not recall Boticelli at trivia earlier this week (as in, "Who painted The Birth of Venus?").

 

:blush:

 

Well, Ida B. D@mned :D

 

Bill

[nmoira]

Well, Ida B. D@mned :D

:D

 

Better late than never...

[Parrothead]

I was was recently embarrassed to admit I'd never heard of Ida B. Wells. And I totally could not recall Boticelli at trivia earlier this week (as in, "Who painted The Birth of Venus?").

 

:blush:

 

Anyone care to share theirs?

So are we all supposed to have all of Boticelli's works memorized? And all of Monet's? Da Vinci's?

[nmoira]

I have never heard of Ida B. Wells and when I googled her, I still don't recall her. But I am of the opposite political bent and am not sure that I am interested in her either.

 

She is primarily remembered as being an anti-lynching activist. No matter how one feels about her other issues and accomplishments, her (dangerous) work in documenting and speaking out about the atrocities committed is admirable.

[nmoira]

So are we all supposed to have all of Boticelli's works memorized? And all of Monet's? Da Vinci's?

:001_smile: No, but since it's one of the few paintings "everyone" knows, it was embarrassing to me not to recall it. It's one of those situations that I wouldn't hold someone else to the same standard, if that makes sense. I'm talking just about personal embarrassment.

[TravelingChris]

Well now I know something more. I will have to look up where she lived.

[stripe]

So are we all supposed to have all of Boticelli's works memorized? And all of Monet's? Da Vinci's?

 

Um, yes. I can draw an impressive imitation of the Mona Lisa, with my right hand, AND a world map with my left, at the same time, with my eyes closed.

 

I love people who are referred to with their middle initial. Like Ida B Wells and Susan B Anthony and John F Kennedy and so forth.

[Ipsey]

I have never heard of Ida B. Wells and when I googled her, I still don't recall her. But I am of the opposite political bent and am not sure that I am interested in her either.

 

If your political bent includes women having the right to vote, perhaps you're not as opposite as you think.

 

:)

[CountitallJoy]

If your political bent includes women having the right to vote, perhaps you're not as opposite as you think.

 

:)

 

Thank you!

 

The post you quoted kind of had me like this :001_huh:

[newlifemom]

Golly, my lack of knowledge is embarrassingly obvious. I try to keep things like that under wraps.

 

I have never heard of Ida B Wells. Sadly, I thought immediately a child's book, Ida B. :D

 

Ummm, I cannot recall any particular incident of late that has showcased my ignorance, but trust me, they exist. [sigh] youth is wasted on the wrong people. :tongue_smilie:

[Spy Car]

I love people who are referred to with their middle initial. Like Ida B Wells and Susan B Anthony and John F Kennedy and so forth.

 

Alfred E. Neuman

 

Bill

[newlifemom]

Alfred E. Neuman

 

Bill

 

Now him, I know. :tongue_smilie:

[TravelingChris]

Well it is what you get if you quickly google and read the wrong thing. No, I don't think I would have been opposite of her. I am not for lynching, am for Women having voting rights, am for people being paid not by their color or gender, and wouldn't have liked that women from the WTCU. I wouldn't have been for temperance even though I don't drink anymore (due to my medications).

[Alenee]

I can't think of anything recent but I'll never forget a homeschool group meeting I went to 10 years ago: someone mentioned the Little House books. I was like :confused:. I grew up with tv and very, very few books. I had no idea that the show I watched was loosely based on books. :001_huh:

[Cosmos]

Well it is what you get if you quickly google and read the wrong thing. No, I don't think I would have been opposite of her. I am not for lynching, am for Women having voting rights, am for people being paid not by their color or gender, and wouldn't have liked that women from the WTCU. I wouldn't have been for temperance even though I don't drink anymore (due to my medications).

 

I'm curious what website you looked at.

 

Though I knew the name Ida B. Wells, I couldn't remember what she was known for so I too quickly googled her name. All of the top entries identified her prominently as an activist for women's suffrage and civil rights and her work against lynching. The only one I actually clicked on was the wikipedia article, which gave more detail on all of the above. Nothing about her political leanings other than those issues that I could see.

 

In a quick look, of course. So I found your post a little surprising myself. But whatever. That isn't the point of this thread.

 

As for knowledge gaps, I'm afraid I uncover more of mine daily. An embarrassing one of late -- I only recently learned that Timbuktu is an actual place. I guess I thought it was mythical. :tongue_smilie:

[Ipsey]

Here's a basic "how can you live?" example from my own life.

 

It wasn't until I was about 25, that I realized all vehicles had logos on them to help me identify the maker. I never understood how people could always recognize vehicles to give the details to police.

 

Everyone who knows me knows I will never live this down.

 

I am one of the world's most daily-life oblivious people.

[Ipsey]

Alfred E. Neuman

 

Bill

 

I've read all his stuff!

[LibraryLover]

Here's a basic "how can you live?" example from my own life.

 

It wasn't until I was about 25, that I realized all vehicles had logos on them to help me identify the maker. I never understood how people could always recognize vehicles to give the details to police.

 

Everyone who knows me knows I will never live this down.

 

I am one of the world's most daily-life oblivious people.

 

 

Same here. lol I would watch old reruns of Adam 12 or Dragnet as a kid, and I was always stumped by how the coppers knew all of that. lol

 

Of course, now I want a Chevy Volt. ;)

 

PS Dragnet is especially hilarious. TV has not been dumbed town. Dragnet has nothing on CSI etc.

Edited September 20, 2012 by LibraryLover

[stripe]

I have never heard of Ida B. Wells and when I googled her, I still don't recall her. But I am of the opposite political bent and am not sure that I am interested in her either.

 

Well, Clarence Thomas is against lynching ;), so I think many of her causes cut across party lines. He recently said in an interview

 

“I always think it’s so fascinating to think of these black kids in the segregated school in Savannah reciting the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States or standing out in the schoolyard saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day before school,” Thomas said.

 

“I mean, everything so obviously in front of you is wrong. You can’t go to the public library. You can’t live in certain neighborhoods. You can’t go to certain schools. But despite all of that, you lived in an environment of people who said it was still our birthright to be included, and continued to push, not only to change the laws, but to maintain that belief in our hearts.”

Not sure what his middle initial is, though.

[HappyCrazyMama]

:001_smile: No, but since it's one of the few paintings "everyone" knows, it was embarrassing to me not to recall it. It's one of those situations that I wouldn't hold someone else to the same standard, if that makes sense. I'm talking just about personal embarrassment.

I've never heard of the painting either.:001_huh:

:auto:

[fraidycat]

:001_smile: No, but since it's one of the few paintings "everyone" knows, it was embarrassing to me not to recall it. It's one of those situations that I wouldn't hold someone else to the same standard, if that makes sense. I'm talking just about personal embarrassment.

 

Everyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never heard of it.

[Caitilin]

My mother had me convinced, for YEARS, that Pez dispensers were candy powered flashlights....:auto: :tongue_smilie:

[IsabelC]

It's funny how we all have this mental picture of Stuff Everyone Should Know, and everybody's is different. Dh and I have been together just over 18 years, but we still astonish each other fairly regularly with what we do/don't know.

 

Ipsey, I can't remember any off-hand, but I'm pretty sure I have had a few that were on a similar level of epic.

 

I hadn't heard of Ida B Wells, but she sounds amazing. Rosa Parks would be the only female American civil rights activist I would have remembered, so I've increased my knowledge by 100% in a couple of minutes. :001_smile:

Edited September 20, 2012 by Hotdrink

[LucyStoner]

I was bowled over flat when my husband was puzzled by a reference I made to Medgar Evers' murder.

 

As for me, I was well into my college math major before I really got the standard algorithm for multi-digit multiplication. I was tutoring calculus and was quite proficent in mathematics but I used mental math or an alternate algorithm in absence of a calculator if I needed to figure any big multiplication.

 

Also what I don't know about pop culture from my childhood (limited access to tv and a very religious, hippie family) would fill many sets of encyclopedias. I make a lousy Trivial Pursuit or charades teammate.

[Barb_]

I only have immediate recall of her because she came to the Chicago World's Fair to protest because African Americans weren't allowed admittance. There is a statue of her handing out pamphlets next to an original fair-era trolley car in the Chicago History Museum. And that is why travel is educational :D

[newlifemom]

Everyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never heard of it.

 

I'm no art historian, I mean really no art person at all. I have heard of it and several other major works. I can actually say something [one little thing] about the Last Supper. :D

 

 

I think sometimes people have random bits of info, that seem trivial. I am glad that I have heard of it b/c I do feel smarter. Of course that doesn't actually mean I am. :tongue_smilie:

 

Once dh and I invited a couple we had just met at church over to dinner. We knew nothing about them other than they had just moved into town. Turns out he's a dr who worked with UN in Serbia and such and she was a linguist who spoke 5 languages fluently. They could speak knowledgeably on so many subjects. Dh retreated to the kitchen and the dishes. I held up my end of the conversation but that was all I had. 4 yrs of college and all the reading I had done since, used up in one after dinner conversation. :D

 

Ah well, I think 9 yrs later I would be able to talk a smidge longer. :tongue_smilie:

[caroljenn]

I agree!

She is primarily remembered as being an anti-lynching activist. No matter how one feels about her other issues and accomplishments, her (dangerous) work in documenting and speaking out about the atrocities committed is admirable.

[Elfknitter.#]

I love people who are referred to with their middle initial. Like Ida B Wells and Susan B Anthony and John F Kennedy and so forth.

 

Alex P. Keaton. :lol:

[Audrey]

Thank you!

 

The post you quoted kind of had me like this :001_huh:

 

 

Umm... yeah... me too. I just kind of thought perhaps that poster didn't look up the right Ida B Wells or something because the opposite of anti-lynching, civil rights and women's suffrage is ... a bit unusual to trumpet so baldly... even for this forum.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Audrey

[nmoira]

Umm... yeah... me too. I just kind of thought perhaps that poster didn't look up the right Ida B Wells or something because the opposite of anti-lynching, civil rights and women's suffrage is ... a bit unusual to trumpet so baldly... even for this forum.

I had assumed she was referring to some of Wells' more provocative writing.

[Mom in High Heels]

 

I love people who are referred to with their middle initial. Like Ida B Wells and Susan B Anthony and John F Kennedy and so forth.

 

Me too. I don't, however, like it when people are referred to by their FIRST initial then their middle and last names. It seems weird. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is C. Thomas Howell (isn't that and odd name to remember?), but I know there are others and I don't like it. I'm taking a stand!

 

BTW, I know everything. Ask Indy, he'll tell you. :D

[Zebra]

Ahh, but I am ashamed that none of you thought of Chuck E. Cheese :lol:!

[Pawz4me]

I keep thinking of Junie B. Jones . . .

[Bonkers247]

I've accepted that there is a ton of people, places and things I know nothing about but there are some things I think every American should know. My husband has never lived down asking me what Benjamin Franklin did as president. :001_huh: His reasoning? He's on money so he must have been president. My little history major self almost passed out right there. Otoh, he does know more than I ever hope to learn about computers.

[Mrs Mungo]

I wouldn't have been for temperance even though I don't drink anymore (due to my medications).

 

At the time the temperance movement was tied up with women's suffrage because alcohol problems (and resulting domestic abuse) were *rampant* at the time. The WTCU not only fought for suffrage, they also fought for women to be allowed to own property, to receive custody of their children, women's education, raising the age of consent and more.

[Kathryn]

Umm... yeah... me too. I just kind of thought perhaps that poster didn't look up the right Ida B Wells or something because the opposite of anti-lynching, civil rights and women's suffrage is ... a bit unusual to trumpet so baldly... even for this forum.

 

:iagree:

[deacongirl]

I'm curious what website you looked at.

 

Though I knew the name Ida B. Wells, I couldn't remember what she was known for so I too quickly googled her name. All of the top entries identified her prominently as an activist for women's suffrage and civil rights and her work against lynching. The only one I actually clicked on was the wikipedia article, which gave more detail on all of the above. Nothing about her political leanings other than those issues that I could see.

 

In a quick look, of course. So I found your post a little surprising myself. But whatever. That isn't the point of this thread.

 

As for knowledge gaps, I'm afraid I uncover more of mine daily. An embarrassing one of late -- I only recently learned that Timbuktu is an actual place. I guess I thought it was mythical. :tongue_smilie:

 

I have no idea if this is applicable, but google search results are affected by past searches...someone wrote a book about this recently (like within the past year or so I think? too lazy to look it up) I don't know how that would affect a search for Ida B. Wells, but just something to be aware of.

 

To the OP--I had not heard of Ida B. Wells that I recall--and yes, I feel like I should have! Thanks for the info.

[stripe]

I always thought it was because so many men took their paycheck and wasted it all at the pub, leaving their wives (and kids) penniless. So it was about the effect of alcohol on the family more than alcohol in and of itself. The whole situation of women at that time in the US was pretty pathetic. However, one notices the women clearly identified themselves by their religious faith, when so many aspects of religion were used to try to oppress them.

 

I recall reading about a website run by white supremacists about Martin Luther King, claiming all manner of things about him, but I did not see anything untoward about Ida B Wells from my search. I'd be curious to know what about her seemed so wacky.

[LibraryLover]

Carrie Nation used no middle initial.

 

:)

[deacongirl]

OK I was curious so found the book. It is The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser. He argues that websites tend to show only information which agrees with the user's past viewpoint, effectively isolating the user in a bubble that tends to exclude contrary information. So...depending on your search and click history you might get different results when googling Ida B. Wells.

[nmoira]

Carrie Nation used no middle initial.

 

:)

 

I though she often used "A."?

 

ETA: She did, and her middle name was Amelia, so it wasn't made up just for the effect.

Edited September 20, 2012 by nmoira

[LibraryLover]

I though she often used "A."?

 

ETA: She did, and her middle name was Amelia, so it wasn't made up just for the effect.

 

Huh. My brain is getting old. That does sound correct, although i think the poster I had in my dorm read Carrie Nation. Carrie A doesn't flow as well as Ida B.

Edited September 20, 2012 by LibraryLover

[nmoira]

Huh. My brain getting old. That does spound correct, although i think the poster I had in my dorm read Carrie Nation. Carrie A doesn't flow as well as Ida B.

 

But Carr[ie/y] A. Nation does. :001_smile: (both spellings were used)

[stripe]

So what do you get when you google Ida B Wells?

Spin off thread here

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?p=4328968

[Meriwether]

Anna B. Seaton

 

She was an Olympian in women's crew. She was from my college town. Her family was wealthy and influential and had streets and buildings named after them. Her name showed up with some regularity - always as Anna B. Seaton. No one - no one - knew what her middle name was. My sister was on the university's crew team, and traveled to Boston several times. They stayed with a family that had hosted Anna B. Seaton. The family knew her well and spilled the beans on her middle name.

 

Apparently, Anna was not given a middle name. This didn't bother her until she started school. She asked her dad why she didn't have a name, and he told her Seaton would be her middle name when she got married. That didn't go over so well. He was a lawyer (I'm not sure it's relevant, but it strikes me as funny), and he explained that she could legally change her name if she called herself the new name for a certain time period - whatever the law was at that time. So she did. In grade school she called herself by a new name for a period of time and then had her name legally changed to:

 

 

 

Anna Banana Seaton

 

I gotta give her credit for using the initial for everything.

[Guest]

Here's a basic "how can you live?" example from my own life.

 

It wasn't until I was about 25, that I realized all vehicles had logos on them to help me identify the maker. I never understood how people could always recognize vehicles to give the details to police.

 

Everyone who knows me knows I will never live this down.

 

I am one of the world's most daily-life oblivious people.

 

I drove for years before I realized that, generally speaking, most highways have an entrance ramp at roughly the same point as an exit ramp. If I would get off a highway at the wrong ramp, I would totally FREAK OUT, because now I had no idea how to rectify my error. :tongue_smilie: :auto: I'm one of the more directionally challenged people I know, though. Thank God for Mapquest and GPS and the nav on my phone, which I've been known to use simultaneously.

[IsabelC]

OK I was curious so found the book. It is The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser. He argues that websites tend to show only information which agrees with the user's past viewpoint, effectively isolating the user in a bubble that tends to exclude contrary information. So...depending on your search and click history you might get different results when googling Ida B. Wells.

I read that not long ago and found it quite fascinating.

[TravelingChris]

I have no idea how I got the info. I didn't get much info at all so I had no idea she lived so long ago. I quickly looked her name, didn't get the years she was living, the phrasing made me think it was a recent person (because it was phrased as only has become popular in the last 25 years, not before), and the only info was that she was into civil rights. I have not only zero issues but was in full acceptance of the original civil rights. Equal pay, voting, access, no lynching, etc. What I am not for is the much more modern version of civil rights a la Rev. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, etc. The version recently seems to be of shakedown artists and trumping up various stories and interactions to make them seem racially motivated. I am not at all on the same political bent with those people.

 

Upon further reading, I found out that she was in the very old civil rights movement and Her agitation for the right for equal pay, ability to go to the Chicago Fair without any discrimination, and such activities would be ones I would support. I haven't read her writings and I do know that some of the turn of the century advocates were not only advocating for changes I did believe in, but ones I certainly wouldn't want (many were for socialism or even communism but I have no knowledge of whether Ida B. Wells was one of those or not). On the other hand, some were more conservative than any of the current civil rights people like Susan B. Anthony.