While the world may change and calendars chronicling things like the upcoming 2025 TV schedule move along, some things are shining constants in our world. The presence of Jeopardy (which will finally start streaming in September) is one such recurring thread, which sees its host, Ken Jennings, staying on top of the knowledge pyramid every weeknight. Sadly, there is a downside to how contestants, and the world at large, continue to consume information - and Mr. Jennings recently shared how this loss has caused a bit of sadness.
Leave it to one of the biggest winners in Jeopardy history to highlight pop culture hyperfocus as a current trend that acts as a double-edged sword. Starting with the positives of being an expert on any given subject or niche, Ken Jennings offered The Los Angeles Times these positives:
I feel I’m part of the last generation that had to justify having nerdy interests. It was kind of shameful and made you the punchline of jokes in movie comedies and stand-up. Today, it seems self-evident to everyone younger than us that, well, of course you would just be obsessive about lunchboxes or about Battlestar Galactica or fossils. That’s totally normalized, and it’s actually good.
What some would call “nerd culture” does exist in a very different space in our modern culture. I’m still shocked when I see people who may have mocked my middle school obsession with Star Wars quoting The Mandalorian, proudly displaying their kids holding Grogu stuffies.
To move away from that sort of shaming is the sort of thing that gives nerds like me and Mr. Jennings hope for the future. It also keeps Disney+ subscription numbers at a healthy level, which in turn helps people learn more about their favorite pockets of fictional history.
Alas, this is where our Jeopardy quiz master shares that “loss” that he’s been mourning. Flipping the coin of knowledge to the other side, Ken Jennings provided the one thing that the obsessive mentality has robbed from contestants of the present and potential future:
But I’ve also been mourning the loss of generalists, people who knew a little bit about everything, which is what Jeopardy! celebrates, but it’s not fashionable. We live in a siloed society of specialists. And I really think we’d be better off if everybody knew a little bit about everything.
It seems that the “know-it-alls” of the world still seem to be suffering in a very bespoke way. Only the problem this time is the fact that the sort of mindset that would see a person studying up on any and all corners of general interests has shifted to being an expert in a handful of areas.
That sort of approach changes the candidate pool radically for the long-running quiz show. It could also reduce the likelihood of long-running champions like Ken Jennings, Amy Schneider, or the latest Jeopardy superchamp, Scott Riccardi. Thankfully, it's a problem that can be corrected, especially with someone like Jennings ringing the proverbial alarm bells.
Which leads to one of the best ways an aspiring brain box can keep their mental libraries fully stocked - watching more Jeopardy! So be sure to check your local listings before buzzing in at home, and always be sure to phrase your answer in the form of a question.
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