What is the difference between knowledge and trivia?

Trivia is the random, disconnected, small scale facts that are incidental to a thing or person. It may appeal to others in the sense that it seems interesting, but it rarely explains any larger context. It’s like gossip.

Knowlege is a deeper insight learned from careful study or experience, that informs someone of a larger truth. It’s like research.

Another way of looking at is that 80% of my answers here amount to trivia. The rest involve some kind of knowlege – Guess what this one is ;)

Knowledge is knowing the events in the Kennedy assassination.
Trivia is knowing the license plate on the car.

Trivia is random information whether anyone knows it or not.

Knowledge exists only in our brains.

Information is information whether you or I possess it or not. When we do, it becomes knowledge.

@filmfann, great analogy!

Knowledge will get you advances.
Trivia will get you blank stares, followed by a blink, and the words, “How did you know that?”

^^^ @Patty_Melt or even, why do you know that?

Long time ago, playing Trival Pursuit, a friend said, “You know so much trivia”, to which I replied,“I don’t know any trivia, everythig I know is very important.”

Knowledge is knowing what information is important to have at hand and which does not need to be retained but can be stored.

One mans trivia is another mans knowledge.

Knowledge is Edward Gibbon’s six volume “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”. Trivia is Facebook.

Facebook has done a lot for me of importance. Also for many others. There are numerous support groups. I won’t take the time to make a list, but I have found it useful various ways.

There is a new university major that focuses purely on Trivia.
BS in Trivia
Master’s of Nothing
Doctor of DooDoo