I think you're blowing the role of "lore" out of proportion when it comes to media literacy and engagement. I think of lore as an umbrella term for things it includes. Like how words like art also contain multitudes of descriptives below them. Besides, the umbrella term is more than the sum of its parts. Asking "What are some arts you enjoy" is not the same as "what are some artistic expression methods you prefer." Lore for the most part refers to the sum of a variety of worldbuilding aspects. It itself carries little to do with your concern. Besides, if it is such a loathsome word for you, you can use it as a detection method for finding out who you don't want to engage with. You don't have to use it, but the presence of the word does not subtract from the detailed discussions of these subject.