You can’t really say a fact is useless trivia if creative individuals decide to capitalize on it by creating entire trivia leagues based on fun competition. And all you need to know are facts that you wouldn’t otherwise know. Nor would it bear any significance on your chances of survival on this planet either way. But life is for living, so let’s live it in fun ways.
With that said, folks have recently been sharing favorite useless trivia facts in a fresh AskReddit thread. Here’s your chance of gathering up some trivia for your next night of Trivial Pursuit.
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If you’re here, no doubt you’ve heard about what trivia is a medium of knowledge. Originally, the word is derived from the Latin triviae, which denotes a place where a road splits into two, thus creating a three-way intersection.
Much, much, later, roughly in the 1960s, some students introduced the idea of trivia as a game by informally trading questions and answers about pop culture.
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It was only in 1965 that trivia became official. A Columbia Daily Spectator column kicked it off with Author Ed Goodgold later joining forces with Dan Carlinsky to organize trivia contests and even writing a book in 1966 of the same name.
The concept took the world by storm and it spawned a huge following of people getting together and competing against each other through trivial knowledge.
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There are quite a number of reasons why people like trivia games—an idea in and of itself being a testament how approachable it is.
One major reason ties in with the idea of personal knowledge. Trivia games mean that you have to know your stuff, but you have to know very particular stuff. Thus, it encourages you to sharpen your mind all the while making use of what you already know and learning new things along the way.
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But there is a huge social aspect to the game as well. While trivia games can be played individually, they are more often a team sport, one that connects people in healthy competition.
The best part is that the idea of intellectual competition makes it accessible to many age groups and, honestly, you don’t have to be all that smart to enjoy the vibe.
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It goes without saying that, despite it being a very social game, there is much to be had on a personal level. Trivia games are known to improve self-esteem and, just like any game, they often help reduce stress.
And hey, there’s the added bonus of next to no physical exertion and the fun doesn’t really need to stop because the possibilities for questions are limitless.
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Other reasons to play include the classic it just makes you feel good because winning a game releases dopamine. This, by proxy, also explains the addictive nature of trivia games and competition.
And, hey, you can one-up this burst of dopamine with another burst caused by food and drinks—no wonder why many competitions are held in bars.
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If anything, it is a learning and self-development experience that’s tailored to be fun. And fun makes learning easier and more effective. So, yeah, sure, you might not get as much exercise as you had hoped, but you trained your noggin muscle and that’s just as important. In fact, using your brain more than the average person does help with keeping your brain young.
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Now, sure, keeping your brain intellectually active is only one piece of the puzzle. But it is an important one.
Mental stimulation means new and more lively nerve cell connections in the brain, making it more resilient against cell loss and keeping it more active as time goes by and the body grows old.
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But if you want the full package, physical exercise, a good diet and just overall care for your body all have a positive impact on the brain. That means improving your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, avoiding intoxicants like alcohol and tobacco, and, most importantly, keeping up with your own mental health. Yes, being in a good and upbeat mood does wonders, and that requires healthy boundaries and good old sleep.
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And if you’ve come this far in the listicle, you’ve likely not yet sated your appetite for brain stimulation via trivial inquiries. So, keep on keeping on with other Bored Panda articles.
But if you want to take a break, be sure to leave a comment with your fun facts in the comment section below before you go!
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