Confession time: some things I just don't understand.

by MIA FREEDMAN

The other night I was talking about something in the news. Can’t remember what it was. And my 14yo son had no idea what I was talking about. This was shocking to me. Even though I can’t recall watching much news when I was 14.

In the car the next day, I said to him, “Right, you need to start watching the news every night. You need to know what’s going on in the world.”

“I do know what’s going on,” he insisted. ‘Ask me something.”

So here is what I asked him:

1. What new tax comes in on July 1st?
2. Who is the leader of the Opposition?
3. Who is Lindy Chamberlain?
4. What happened on September 11, 2001?
5. Who is the PM of Britain? (we had a slight stumble here where he said “Downing” and then corrected himself and said “Michael someone – no wait, that’s the PM in Little Britain”.)
6. What wars is Australia currently fighting in?
7. When is the next US election?
8. Who is challenging Obama for the presidency?
9. What parties are these two men from?

He pretty much nailed it which surprised me enormously because I don’t see him consuming media in the same way I do. But he studied 9/11 at school and the rest he just…..knew.

My own general knowledge is patchy. There are gaping great holes where geography and history should be for a start. And there are many things I have such a superficial knowledge of that……it’s almost too embarassing to admit.

You know when you get to that point where it’s too late to ask someone’s name? Because you SHOULD know it and to ask is just too humiliating.

I’m like that with a fair number of things.

Like wine. And literature. And classic films. And the GFC. And climate change. And did I mention Geography?

Perhaps you have some black spots in your general knowledge too. Gaps.  So we’ve decided to do a regular series of posts where we find experts to explain things. Like our cheatsheets.

How is your general knowledge? What do you JUST NOT UNDERSTAND? Gaping holes you’re too embarassed to admit? Any special requests?