sometimes I am all panicky when people ask me a question and I don't have the answer. how can I deal with it?

Question

one asked me what the North Korean flag was or when the Statue of liberty and the Eiffel tower were build and if I don't have the exact answer when I think I should know, I feel stupid and panicky... how sad. It makes me realise I have been concentrating too much of my thoughts on other things and i don't know basic general culture!

Answer 1

You can always study, read, go to museums, learn more stuff, you ar eprobably still young and you can not know everything!

Answer 2

Possibly they ask certain questions to look like they have some brain power, when in fact they don't know the answer. Say something like..Oh The Eiffel Tower, when is the last time you saw it?

Oh the flag, I just saw that on the news, but the colors skip my mind, what are they?

Oh, I don't remember when the SOLiberty nor the Eff Tower were built, can you refresh my memory on who built them and why?

That will really drive them nuts!

Just don't get into any of this with a foreigner, they tend to BE history books on American culture.

Answer 3

First of all, RELAX. You get a little anxious but you can beat this. You have a computer, so spend some time looking things up. Read books and do some research online. There's lots of history to be found and some of it is truly interesting. Some people are good at knowing all of the presidents and when they were in office. Some like to know all of the capitols. My favorite is the history of Lady Jane Grey and the history of the royal throne. I read about Jane Grey years ago and then I found even more things online. Lots of other things for you to discover. Don't worry, nobody was born knowing these things. You just have to make time to read about them. It's not as if you're planning to meet with Alex Trebek, right?

Answer 4

Let go of your ego. It is OK not to know "everything", what a terrible pressure you put on yourself. There is nothing wrong with not knowing.. ... try to unlearn this, and that is true learning. What is the point of having all this "stuff" in your head if you are only going to suffer for it? Is it more important to know what the North Korean flag looks like, or is it more important to know oneself? Does not matter, but if either brings suffering, it is time to let it go, or surrender to it. Stop beating yourself up. Do you think that people will like you less or more with this information? That's weird. I don't see the point. Try not thinking, now that takes a lot more "focus" and "concentration" than reading a few books about stuff. What are you going to do with all that stuff in your head. If think you are cluttered in your mind now, wait... fill it with more stuff, so you can worry about that stuff, and when you stop worrying about that stuff, you will find more stuff to worry about. Wow, get out of the rain.

Answer 5

First of all we all know something and I am willing to bet that you could throw questions at them that they would not know the answer to either.

From what you say you are worried about being in the dark on things and there is only one good way to get on top of it all and that is to read, read, read.

You will find as you read more and more about culture and history and geography and whatever topic can come to mind that it gets more and more interesting. Get on-line here and type in your interest EVERY day and learn something new.

Other then that you need to have a bit more confidence in yourself but know that you can reach for the stars and are capable to attain any wish you want to. It is all inside.

Answer 6

Try to realize that you can't know everything. Just admit you don't know. If you're concentrating on other things, well, you know things that person might not. And, gosh, I'm admitting it (*s*), I don't know the things you referred to and I don't think any of my friends do. But we know lots of other things - like what's the rate of acceleration of an object falling towards the earth (like dropped from a high building or an airplane) and what's a popular Nirvana tribute band (Lithium)? I doubt I'll ever need to know that again but I remember it from high school physics class. Honestly, though, when a person doesn't know something I don't think anything of it, but when a person acts like they do and I find out later their answer was wrong, well, that's when I experience a bad thought or two.

Answer 7

If someone asks those questions, they don't know the answer either. I have learned to say, "I'll check that out and get back to you" - if that is appropriate. We cannot know everything - it's not possible. And we do need to self-protect with phrases that do that for us like the one above.



Try to live life from the inside out, not the outside in. In other words, don't feel that others are judging you. - Be kind to you and gentle and nurturing. Others have their own stuff they're worrying about. So let go.

Answer 8

Take a deep breath..and say something like:

I'm not sure or I'm not familiar with that. FYI im sure you know more than you think...not one of us knows everything for sure. It takes time.....you can read have conversations with people....ask a lot of questions...and you should be fine.....No one should judge you just cause you dont know the exact date a tower was built or what a specific flag is....

Answer 9

Hi there, don't worry yourself about trivia. Concentrate only on needing to know all the things that will make your life a success, forget the rest. If you don't know something that you think you should know simply speak the truth and then endeavour to find out. You don't have to know everything you know. Good luck and study all the things that you want to study, nothing else.

Answer 10

Don 't worry about what other people think..If you don't know the answer,say honestly, i don't know.People will appretiate that better than if you steer them in the wrong direction.You can give little bits of information you know is right and explain that is what you know.They can get the rest from others.

Answer 11

Just say "wait a minite" and run to your Pc and ask the question on this site. Your sure to be thought of as being very smart. Don't under estimate yourself.

Answer 12

This is called lack of confidence in one's self and i suggest to you that you go on a course for this which the volunteer centre run called springboard try it they are good.



Have more trust in yourself and say to whoever asks the question straight, I dont know.

Answer 13

stop pretending you know everything and trying to impress people with BS - try having a real conversation once in a while where your answers are genuine im sure you'll be alright

Answer 14

Be honest and give an honest answer. Everyone started like that. One day you will be able to answer some questions. No one can answer them all.

Answer 15

Say some variation of "That's an interesting question! I don't know but I'm going to check it out later..."

Answer 16

I...I don't know! Wow, now I'm getting anxious...



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