we don't need no education

[orangerful]

Do you ever realize that you know something intellectual but you got it from a sort of non-intellectual source. Like, you can reference poetry, but you have never actually read the poem, you've just heard a bit of it in a movie.

For example: the quote in the Inara wallpaper I made yesterday from from Yeat's "Ode on a Grecian Urn". Have I ever read this poem? No. Yes I knew that line and what poem it was from. How? Because I've seen Quiz Show. During the little quote off in that movie, Rob Morrow's character throws out the 'truth is beauty' line in the midst of it all and Ralph Fiennes character responds with 'ode on a grecian urn'. And so I know that bit.

Another one I'm fond of is my short short version of War and Peace - a russian novel containing more than 500 characters that is set in the Napoleonic wars.
Have I read War & Peace? heck no! Have you seen the size of that thing? No, I know this because...wait for it...TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: The movie. It's one of the trivial pursuit questions the turtles do while hiding in April's grandfather's farm house. I believe Donatello gives the correct answer.

I know the definition of "tenacious" because of Jurassic Park. I had to look it up after Malcolm calls Ellie "tenacious". Sounded like something I might like to be.

Now I can add 'Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner' to my random knowledge list too, thanks to 'Serenity' - The Operative and Mal discuss the albatross, giving us that great quote "Yes, I have read a poem, try not to faint".

I'll try and think of more. Does this happen to anyone else? Tell me about your random knowledge!

Comments

[jellibean.livejournal.com]

I knew "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" because I had to read it in high school. I freaked out when Mal said something about it in 'Serenity.' :)

At the moment I can't think of any real "random knowledge." If I think of something, I'll add it in. :)

Once when Matt and I were playing Trivial Pursuit I knew the name of Nixon's dog (Checkers) and he gave me this dirty look and said, "How the hell do you know that?!" Honestly, I have no idea. I love Trivial Pursuit. My dad is too good at it though--he's not allowed to play with us anymore.

It's kind of reversed, but you have to know a lot of random stuff in order to understand Gilmore Girls. It's like that "everything bad is good for you" stuff. :)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

trivial pursuit can be a scary experience sometimes - you never know what you know! haha.

Yeah, I've noticed a lot of shows I watch have so many references to other things, it's insane! I remember watching MST3K and getting everything from fart jokes to philosopher jokes within the range of 10 minutes! Monty Python is the same way.

[toothlesshag.livejournal.com]

I learned about "Ode to a Grecian Urn" from The Music Man.

I think I can say Sesame Street contributed to some of my random knowlege. They had a lot of adult jokes on things (Upstairs, Downstairs involved Grover running up and down stairs for ex.)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

oh yes, Henson shows have taught me so very much. Muppet Show especially - I know who chunks of opera songs cuz of the Beverly Sills episode. Good times.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

call him "Josh" again and I will FONG you!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

hey! it's a real word! who knew? I actually just used it because I was looking at 'A Knight's Tale' screencaps, because Alan Tudyk was in that and he's cool. And there's a scene in that movie where he's yelling at the someone and tells them to shut up or he will fong them (someone was using the icon in the post). Sounded amusing. The movie is supposed to be a very loose retelling of the knights tale in Canterbury tales, so that must be the one bit of "old english" they left in there.

This is how I find out the definitions of most words - using them out of context until someone says (ala Inigo Montoya) "I do not think that means what you think it means." Another classic is for me was 'perfunctory', which I used to use all the time but totally in the wrong spot in the sentence. A perfunctory use of perfunctory, actually.

um...yeah, I didn't know exactly what I was saying, so let's make it "whack you over the head with a frying pan" which is what I feel the definition of "fong" really should be - as that's the sound your ears would make.

[(Anonymous)]

ooh- 'perfunctory' is a good example for me of the topic of this thread (of which I'm sure I have many other examples, but can't think of them offhand). I learned 'perfunctory' entirely due to the ending of.. Musings(?) of a Cigarette Smoking Man. It's a great word. I probably don't even want to think about how much of my random knowledge comes from XF..

beck-anon

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

EXSANGUINATE!

what a great word. And thanks to the episode 'eve' I know aaaaall about it.

I was trying to get the courage to pop season 1 into the dvd player...trying to see if I could maybe enjoy it. But I wussed out. I really just want to make some Scully icons and I feel silly doing that, not having watched the show for 4 years!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

well, I read the poem while I was looking for the quote yesterday. I'm not a big poetry person so I have to sorta be coersed into reading them.

I agree with being knowledgable about classics, I just find it amusing that I have learned so much random crap about classics thru non-traditional sources. :P

[persephones-rev.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you're talking about, but, of course, after a long day, I fail to distinctly recall any specific example. *laughs* I can add this, though, I learned the tune of "Habanera" from Carmen from Sesame Street. It has been a favorite of mine to hum ever since. :D

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I know the melody of the "toreador" song because of the muppet show...sadly, I only know the muppet lyrics though:

toreadora toreador,
toreador, toreador
this is the only opera that I know
I heard this one is good!
we learned the words in french
and even still
I don't know what it means

Of course, there's no way the real translation can top my childhood memories.

[persephones-rev.livejournal.com]

That's exactly how I am with "Habanera"... I know the preface of the story, and I know what she's doing during the piece, but I have no idea what she's actually saying... not even in English. *laughs* But, I still hum it all the time. :D

[blu-harvest.livejournal.com]

I can't come up with any specific examples at the moment, but comic books , historical novels and role-playing games have taught me a lot! Or at least pointed me in the direction of actual knowledge. The problem is when you confuse really good fiction with history. it's easy to seperate the magic, dragons, and giant robots but hard to seperate things like physical descriptions and personal conversations of historical people even if we KNOW we are reading fiction. Oh, and " like one who on a lonesome road, doth walk in fear and dread, and having once turned round , walks on, and turns no more his head. Becasue he knows a frightful fiend, doth close behind him tread." That's from the rime and I learned that from Doctor Who.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've definately gone and read something after it's been referenced enough times in one of my less intellectual sources.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

don't forget 'candy is dandy but liquor is quicker'! that wonka is a dirty old man!!!

:)

okay, I'll print out the 'Mariner' poem next time I'm at the library!