[nick_dm]

It's a tricky question and there are far more practical things to know than current affairs, e.g. customs and taboos, language, currency etc.

For example, I've met people (American and others) who weren't aware that the UK hasn't switched to the euro. I once pointed this out to two surprised Americans on a flight to London - when you are a few hours from landing this is more useful than knowing the prime minister's name!

Beyond knowledge and ignorance (there are certainly ignorant Brits too) there may be a difference in attitude which sometimes comes across as ignorance. I'm relocating from London to NYC in just over a week so it will be interesting to experience the differences, I've heard that despite being quite cosmopolitan NYC is generally a little more inward looking.

[qohen]

"I'm relocating from London to NYC...I've heard that despite being quite cosmopolitan NYC is generally a little more inward looking."

Sounds like you could use a map:

http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/newyorker2.JP...

(Discussion:

http://bigthink.com/ideas/21121

And, from 40 years prior:

http://maps.bpl.org/details_10595/?mpubl_id=159

http://www.georgeglazer.com/archives/maps/archive-nyc/nyersi... ).

[maxawaytoolong]

I live in NYC. That's a good assessment. It's a very cosmopolitan place in that every world culture is represented here. There are groups of people I never knew about until I moved here. Albanians in the Bronx? Fujianese Christian Chinese in the Lower East side? Etc.

However, once you're here, nothing outside of the city really matters. I think it's because of the structure of the city itself. It's huge and fast and inhuman and you're always busy and overwhelmed.

That said, world events are a popular subject amongst the literati crowd, but it's mostly just grist for the mill... so you have something interesting to talk about at brunch, or feel like you've got the right intel to make some money trading the yen against the pound, or whatever...