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?

Why would it be an indicator of intelligence?

I think it's almost a "Oh I couldn't possibly know who Kim Kardashian or Katie Price are"

If anybody is saying "who" to Kim K they are definitely acting ignorant and probably are being obtuse, i think it just makes look silly when they act superior like that.

My DH genuinely had no clue who anyone was.

I’d put a fiver on that neither of my parents would know who any of these people are.

Some people don’t read that kind of news etc

Of course it’s not to seem intelligent. It’s to seem cool. But not intelligent. In fact it’s very often ignorant if they genuinely don’t know and can’t work out how to google who someone is.

Yes I think you're right OP 😂 I do think there could be the odd person who genuinely doesn't know, if they never watch TV or read news etc, but they must surely be few and far between.

Yes. You distanced yourself from them in your post for the same reason.

there are many many people who do not know who Jordan or Kim Kardashian are.

i’m oldish but I know them because they’ve been on telly/in the papers while I was young,

my dc actually don’t know who Jordan is I just asked them. Tbf she’s very nineties.

my mum (79) had no clue for either of them. Twiggy on the other hand…

I don’t think my 75 year old dad would know who KK is, genuinely. I know of her but probably couldn’t point her out 🙈 😂

I get that some people wouldn't necessarily know who certain famous people are. But the "who" thing on social media just pisses me off. Its just so unnecessary

I have heard of Kim Kardashian but am not sure I'd recognise a photo of her. I'm just not that interested in that world, but I don't think that makes me a superior person!

Agreed.

My husband and I wouldn't know who most American famous people were!
I have heard the names but I don't think I'd be able to pick out Kim Kardashian.
I don't know what Kendall Jenner looks like and I know there is another sister with a K name but I don't know what she looks like

(Don't watch a lot of TV, don't read fashion or women's mags, where would I see these people?)
I also wouldn't recognise famous footballers. Or their wags.

I don't think I'm more or less intelligent than anyone else, particularly.

I don’t watch tv or follow celebrities’ or listen to music. I never have a clue who anyone is. And I really don’t care that people would thinj it has to do with how intelligent I am. Not sitting watching love island as an example is anything to do with how intelligent I am and not knowing who they are.

I think it's probably a bit of both.

I can genuinely say that if you showed me a selection of photos and asked me to identify Kim Kardashian, I would have no idea.
Have heard the name but have no idea what she looks like.

Jordan... well yes, have seen her photo over the years.

I'm pretty far from intelligent, but I genuinely don't know what Kim Kardashian looks like. Obviously I know her name, but I wouldn't know who it was if I was shown a photo. I've never seen her on the telly, and she never pops up on my SM.

Katie Price I would know, as she's been around since I was a lot younger.

Like I say, I'm not intelligent, I just don't recognise modern celebs because I've got no reason to read about them, or watch them?

I mean Love Island types are obviously the bottom of the ladder.

But you must know who Adele is? You must know who David Beckham is? etc

I'm pretty rubbish at recognising people at the best of times, eg people who I sing with in a choir.

So I know who Kim K is in theory but I wouldn't be able to recognise / name her in a line up of other famous people. Similarly many popstars and actresses. I'm not that interested and don't read articles about them etc.

I know Katie Price because she is British and has been around in my field of perception longer.

I know Katie Price, but I genuinely don’t know much about Kim Kardashian. I’ve heard the name, I know she’s an American celebrity and have a vague idea what she looks like. I don’t know what she’s actually famous for, nor could I pick her out of a lineup. I’m aware I could google to find out, but I don’t actually care enough!

I am of very average intelligence so I’m pretty sure that’s nothing to do with it, just I’m interested in different things from you. Doesn’t make either of us better or worse.

I think those saying things like “my parents wouldn’t know” or whatever are missing the point. They might not know, and if they didn’t they’d probably a) ignore an article about them or b) google them. I believe OP is referring to the trend of posting “who?” under articles about celebrities instead of just moving along if you don’t know/care.

I will never understand why people comment on social media on a subject they have no interest in, dropping a "who" onto a comments section just seems a waste of time.

Stems from what Stuart Hall defined as “low” and “high” culture. People think they’re too good for popular culture, it’s rather pernicious and often wrapped up in classism, occasionally racism and sexism too (because women are more likely to enjoy popular culture).

Older people who genuinely don’t read gossip columns might not know who Kim K is but pretty much everyone else in the western hemisphere will. There are certain celebs I do not know and it’s not because I think I’m superior, I just don’t watch reality TV.

I’m an academic and many of my colleagues watch it so I often get left out of conversations. I just have no interest in it, I tried watching MAFS and found it tedious.

Literally the only reason I know who Kim Khardashian is is that DH was once in n the same Paris restaurant as her and her party and a lot of paps waiting outside the door. I then saw her on Graham Norton talking about her brand of merkins years afterwards.

If you don’t watch reality tv or follow celeb news, there’s no particular reason you would know, surely? I’m not particularly high-minded, but KK is not on my radar.

I would probably recognise photos of Katie Price, but that’s about it.

I know what the Met Gala is, though.