Truth never was a set of facts...

I'm big into subjective truth. You may or may not know this or care. I tend to think that the better and clearer you can develop your own resource for perception, the better. I won't deny, however, that there are some facts out there. Sure I'll diminish their use, their importance, but I won't say they aren't there. I also won't say that we haven't used precisely one of our greatest innate characteristics to get there: the ability to create and use tools. Pretty genius. Your own means of perception a little weak? shortsighted? Well then develop a system of mechanical oculation that can give you the skinny on the stars in a way you own ocular devices never could. Dig it. We're pretty fab. It's still important to hone your own skills is all.

Today, however, I am interesting myself in your learning. I want you to go get some facts, obscure and potentially useless facts. Trivia you say? Only in one sense. What I don't want you to do is learn at random. Don't say: I should know all of the presidents...in alphabetical order...and in descending height and weight (combined in a grid to produce a single list). Don't do that. Unless that is what first occurred to you, then go right ahead, be my guest. What I mean is don't learn facts that seem like you should know: state capitals, state names, anything else to do with states &c. General knowledge is boring, it proves nothing about your intelligence and is set on false standards. (Also don't pay attention to the news for any other reason than you actually care about it.)

What I want is for you to learn random detailed facts that are not trivial to you. Things to you could potentially be excited about but that you don't know much about. Like that the genus crows are a part of is the most successful (populace) vertebrate genus in the world. Or that one of the main functions of carpets and rugs is to hold dust in such that it doesn't permanently whirl about a room. Explore the things that interest you, as bizarre as they are. That is the type of fact that impresses me, not a detailed knowledge of celebrity gossip, but a detailed knowledge of 13th c. manuscript illumination (even tho' I personally don't care about that, it is fascinating that you do! This applies only if it is a random interest and not your entire field of study...that, that would still be boring, cause you'd be talking about those damned manuscripts at every single party and pretty soon everyone would be avoiding eye contact with you and running away when you cross the room). It is impressive because it expands community knowledge instead of codifying a restricted form of it. That and it is for you, knowledge you want. Go ahead and know whatever you want, be great at what you do. But also learn some concrete things about your vague interests. Hell, if you wanna know the state capitals, learn 'em, but don't do it to impress me. Dig?