What I don't get...

[enkoujin]

To be fair, they are engineers, so that makes sense they'd be up on tech news. What upsets me is that they are also well-rounded individuals with social lives, great jobs, athleticism, and bright futures. Not that I hate them for it or wish they didn't have all of that, but that I don't have most of that. Maybe I associate with too many upper crust individuals.

Well, I'm an engineering student, but it's pretty surprising for others when they learn how up to date I am with politics and the economy because I try to religiously watch the news every night while my other engineering peers are more focused on their social lives and video gaming.

The point here is that anyone can become a whiz or a decent amateur at these hobbies that you've mentioned. There's obviously the initial time you need to put in to learn about the basics/foundations of the hobbies (e.g., adapting your out of shape body to strenuous activities at the local gym), but once you're done that and you keep up with the consistency your hobby demands, it doesn't take much to become very informed of the matter/subject - especially if you spend 15 minutes on it every day.

If you really wanted to be like these people, Ani, you should just go for it like the way they do it - but in your own way. You can be an amateur expert/speculator of any of your passions and when it's your time to shed your expertise on a subject, others will look at you in the same way you see these peers of your's in the same light. You have to realize that you can control almost everything in your life either directly or bringing it under the control of your influence and this is one situation you can definitely solve by yourself.

[Animeniax]

Well, I'm an engineering student, but it's pretty surprising for others when they learn how up to date I am with politics and the economy because I try to religiously watch the news every night while my other engineering peers are more focused on their social lives and video gaming.

The point here is that anyone can become a whiz or a decent amateur at these hobbies that you've mentioned. There's obviously the initial time you need to put in to learn about the basics/foundations of the hobbies (e.g., adapting your out of shape body to strenuous activities at the local gym), but once you're done that and you keep up with the consistency your hobby demands, it doesn't take much to become very informed of the matter/subject - especially if you spend 15 minutes on it every day.

If you really wanted to be like these people, Ani, you should just go for it like the way they do it - but in your own way. You can be an amateur expert/speculator of any of your passions and when it's your time to shed your expertise on a subject, others will look at you in the same way you see these peers of your's in the same light. You have to realize that you can control almost everything in your life either directly or bringing it under the control of your influence and this is one situation you can definitely solve by yourself.

I basically just watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report to keep semi-up-to-date on politics and the economy. Weird that when I hear people reference something as discussed on either of these shows, I think they are a poseur who doesn't really know the issues.

I think at some point I had the interest in technical knowledge but those days are long gone. I'm still just amazed at how much some of these guys can do in a day.

I think the idea is that it's supposed to be a motivation for you to succeed.

Definitely the latter. If you hang out with the right people, it's motivation as well as a sign of your own tendencies and dispositions. People self-select those they associate with based on their personalities and goals.