I don't know whether or not I "know" more philosophy than you and I don't give a damn either way.

Have I "applied" it to my thoughts and beliefs? Wow,.... Before you asked that question I couldn't have imagined anybody taking the time to read it and not attempting to test it on themselves. Your question opens a whole new venue of exploration -- people who can read and understand philosophy but not test themselves with it. Is that common? Do you believe that anybody who reads say, the "Allegory of the Cave" comes away with exactly the same understanding of it? If two people were to read it and each gained a different understanding, is there only one "correct" understanding?