Being “Generally Knowledgeable”

You are asked – ‘what is the parliament of Israel called? Which provisions of the constitution make Hindi the official language of our nation? Which is the Indian state that has the greatest proportion of women in the population?’

And you feel lost and perplexed. Perhaps even a bit irritated. You wonder what the need for this knowledge is. Where is the connection, what do I have to do with these facts? In some cases, self-doubt also creeps in; if I am being asked all this and I don’t know, does it mean that I am not good enough?

We are looking at a very common train of thoughts and emotions that many young people experience as they write different competitive or professional examinations, a majority among which has a section devoted to testing the general knowledge of candidates. Improving your general knowledge has become critical for success today, whether its an MBA entrance examination or a job interview. And the very first step towards sharpening your general knowledge is to fathom and acknowledge the significance of having a well rounded knowledge of the world around you. Once you have done that, building on your GK may not be agonizing any longer.

General knowledge as the name itself suggests, refers to a “general” awareness and knowledge of the basic facts and developments in different fields. Thus while knowledge of new technology innovations and gadgets across the world may be something every computer professional needs to know as an imperative, for a hockey player or a historian, it would be just “general knowledge”.

GK helps us to stay connected. No man is and island, as the famous saying goes and this was probably never truer than in today’s world. We live in times when barriers are crumbling and geographical divides are getting blurred where business or personal interaction is concerned. Co-operation, networking and interaction are the buzzwords today. The connectedness of all communities, disciplines and schools of thought always existed, but is now being leveraged to an extent never witnessed before. And so, you will always be rewarded in tangible as well as intangible ways if you step out of your immediate sphere and learn what is there (and what’s evolving ) beyond.

Personally, however, I feel that the greatest benefits of general knowledge come to you in the form of what it does to your persona and the way people perceive you. Answer yourself honestly: don’t you feel a sense of awe and deep admiration when you meet a very well-informed individual? Don’t you feel respect for him/her who has such a hunger for knowledge and has actually taken the pains to satiate that? And I think it is precisely that which educational institutes and employers value when they test your general knowledge. A good general knowledge acts as a signal of your thirst for knowledge and capacity for constant learning – a behavioural trait that adds value to every personal as well as professional pursuit of yours just as much as your IQ does. Knowing the Constitutional acts and articles may not reflect your managerial acumen but it certainly indicates you want to know more about everything – a characteristic that is common to every motivated, successful individual in every walk of life.

Rule 1: Read, Read and Read

I don’t think one can overstate the importance of reading. In an age of endless distractions and alternative media, reading is one practice that’s slowly waning. And yet, there is nothing effective as reading to add to your bounty of knowledge. Daily newspapers, a couple of general interest magazines, perhaps even that encyclopedia which has been gathering dust since you stepped out of middle school – yes, they are must reads. And it is not necessary that you have to read the print versions of the same – if you are comfortable with electronic content, you can always turn to the respective websites keeping in mind the authenticity and veracity of the information that you gather online.

Rule 2: Keep your eyes and ears open

This is a very important fact that we need to notice and understand in our day to day life that we hardly analyze things that we do or see in our day-to-day activities. The point is that even in the course of your regular activities during the day, a lot of information may present itself to you in unlikely or inconspicuous form. You have to identify and assimilate it to build on your storehouse of knowledge. Take a constructive interest in what is happening around you and you will be surprised at how much you come to know by it.

Rule 3: Ask

It’s a fact that as we grow older, our inhibitions and reservations gradually take our tendency to question. It is not always that we are not curious, but more often than not, we are afraid or ashamed to ask.

“What will he think if he finds out that I don’t know this?” “This must be such a stupid question, I am sure I’ll make a fool of myself if I ask this”.

These are the thoughts which constantly restrict us. And that is the first habit you have to kill if you want to develop your general knowledge.

No amount of reading, no level of observation will help you unless you actively seek knowledge. It is only natural that you will not understand everything that you read, or see the rationale behind every development in  the world, but if you take interest and ask people who would know, you will soon find that your own understanding and knowledge have proved radically.

On a concluding note, a lesson or a particular skill may be learnt in a day but knowledge is something that has to be developed over time. It may or may not help if you only pore over some standard GK books a few days before your test. Developing GK requires enthusiasm, method, hard work and time, but it’s a great investment in the end. As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest’.