Why don't you care about knowledge? And why do you find it difficult to apply what you've seen in school to your real life?
To answer the first part:
I value knowledge, a lot. I read constantly, and soak up information I deem useful or interesting. (However, eye of the beholder..) The difference being that knowledge I need is not complex algebra, trigonometry, or advanced physics. Second: See above. I had a criminalistics class, for example. Actually the only class I really liked all year (Great teacher, fun subject, easy class), but when am I ever going to apply anthropology or entomology? If I find a corpse, I'm not going to determine its time of death, I'm going to call the police. Oh, and the portion I could have used in 'real life', the firearms unit, I already knew. To reiterate: Complex algebra is virtually useless to me, and physics? "Train A is going X and Train B is going Y. When will they collide" is not something I can use eye are ell. Besides, it won't matter, they're all dead. My career path is level design, writing, and game design; All skills I have learned on my own. Perhaps it's because I'm someone who teaches himself, rather than be taught (Guitar, Hammer, games, bicycle, DOS, flying, swimming).
But again, this is my persona, and how I operate. If I need to know something, I read up on it as much as I can, then I apply it. I very rarely use anything I've learned in school. Quite frankly (or pessimistically), it's a waste of my time, which is why the summer is a precious time for me.