Should I feel guilty for not knowing the latest news in sports, movies or video games?

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The situation

Whether you are working a 9 to 5 or a part-time job this situation may come up more than once. It could happen in the breakroom, in the parking lot doing carpool or at lunch in a restaurant. Conversation takes place when 2 or 3 are gathered of course. With coworkers it will usually shift rapidly to a popular topic like sports, movies, video games. It may last the whole break or split between two subjects. If you are not fully engaged in the discussions you may feel awkward!


The conversation

I confess that sometimes I wonder If I should feel guilty or awkward for not being part of these discussions about sports, movie series, video games?

Did you see so-and-so in the last Star Wars?
Player X should have gone to City L team instead of City M?
Did you see that new video game? And so on …
Based on the topics being discussed one may shout at me expecting my input. I’d reply simply:
I don’t really do TV.
I don’t really follow sports.
I don’t play video games.
If I’ve been with the group for longtime I just get ignored.

Answers to these questions would mean that I get up-to-date because the group sounds really versed in these topics making you feel like an outcast.


The choice

I cannot deny that the situation put some pressure on my morale. The reaction will be to go watch the sports media, YouTube videos, Google search to catchup with my buddies. But many, many years ago I gave up TV limiting my watch time to bare minimum.

Besides my family, jobs and church ministry my time was / is spent at my computer always learning new stuff that I thought will attract money to my empty pockets (IT, network marketing, FOREX, online marketing, now affiliate marketing with WA ...).

Learning new skills always calls for dedication at least for a short period of time (intense learning) to grasp the essence of what I’m about to do.

I understood that gaining new skillsets is a sure way to earn money and make me escape the 9 to 5 rat race, the real pyramid scheme.



The result

Since I never really made any decent money in any of them besides IT should I say that I’ve missed out?

Should I regret because I have no results to show for the things I spend time learning?
In another word did I waste my time?

I believe that we use the things that we’ve learned somehow even unconsciously. All the different learning aggregates will come out at different flow in new learning path, location, circumstance, and in many other aspects in our life.


New skills got built on previous skills to make you who you are with your experience and knowledge.


The focus

Should I feel guilty or awkward for not knowing the latest news in sports, movies or video games or for not participating in the discussions?

If you have similar thinking I’d say to move on and keep pressing on WA Affiliates great learning environment.

After pondering this for longtime I realize that I did / do not miss nothing for not being part of coworkers SME (Subject Matter Expert) sessions.

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Recent Comments

9

Thanks for sharing.
You have made valid points.
I used to be addicted to Sport on TV, today I am not and have no desire to go back to that.
You are doing fine, just be who you were made to be.
I also gave up taking notice of the news due to the negative nature that the media peddles.
All the best to you.
Darren :)

Thanks Darren. Glad to see that I'm not alone thinking that way.

You are never alone, I wish you the best.
I have also sent through a follow for you.
Darren :)

I don't feel guilty of not following sports and others, but I do read snippet news on the internet. It is important to be well balanced on everything. But we give more importance to things that could give us more advantages later in the future than use the time to things that will never generate anything for the future. Besides, I have many commitments which I truly passionate about and enjoyed a lot, including WA!

I'm with you on the well balanced part to the extent of one's possibility. In my situation I'm hungry for a better future.

We are.

Jimmy, I wouldn't necessarily feel guilty, but if you wish to gain people's trust about certain documents you mentioned I believe in another post, having some knowledge of current events might affect their perceptions of you--or it might not--it's just an opinion of mine which you might wish to consider, or not!

Jeff

Thanks Jeff! I'm OK to be aware of things going on in society. I don't practice complete exclusions. I just don't invest time in popular topics of not much importance for my future.

I understand, Jimmy, but I always manage to find common ground with my physical customers in my physical business, especially if it's something that THEY like!

Jeff

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