I can't believe people don't know that?

Yes I only know that because of the 2004 tsunami too.

But I did see it in a film too, but it was after 2004.

i only know that because of the tsunami in 2004
But I’m pretty sure that if I was sunbathing on a beach now or in the future and saw water withdrawing dramatically I would be up and running off that beach quicker than a donkey 😂

People who do this lack the emotional intelligence to understand that what they consider ‘basic, core knowledge’ is not something that everyone has had access to during their lives, for many multi-layered, multi-factorial reasons.

It depends. It doesn't matter if you don't follow popular culture or know the ingredients of a cocktail. If you don't know who is prime minister or how to safely handle raw chicken then that's a bit more of a problem

I was going on holiday to Krakow and mentioned to a colleague I would be visiting Auschwitz during the trip, she responded with “What’s that”? This is a woman in her 40s. I was polite but astonished.

I think there are some things to do with the way the world or society works that I'd expect people to know.

Like, the basics of the germ theory of disease, and why that means you should wash your hands after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food.

Or how compound interest works and so why it's good to pay off debts quickly.

I think there are a few things like that where I'd be surprised to meet someone who didn't know about them.

My answer to them usually is!
Just because you find it interesting doesn't mean everyone else does!
I've no interest in that so have never needed to know it.

I do think it a lot, but I don't say it. Especially about food. Do people really not know that meat comes from animals, and from which animals it comes? That milk comes from cows (and goats and sheep) and that almond/rice/oat milk is a completely different substance? And what vegetarians can eat, and the same for a vegan (but more what they CAN'T eat). And what carbohydrates are, at a basic level. And what vitamins are... even if they don't know what foods they are in and what they do.
I often read about Americans not knowing that people from different countries speak different languages, and that Mexico and Spain are different countries. I know this isn't a representation of all Americans but really isn't this basic knowledge? Apparently not. I am so thankful that I have a curious nature and like finding things out, and that I had a mother who read and was interested in things.
I am very aware that I have good general knowledge simply because I read and am interested in things and that others are not as lucky/interested/don't have that opportunity and I try not to judge... but I do, a bit, inside.

Like other posters, I think it depends on what it is.
I like @DrZaraCarmichael 's suggestion about there being some things you'd have to work hard to not know, and those people who wear ignorance as a badge of honour being a very different scenario from facts about things that don't particularly interest us, or that are from another era or another culture.

There's also something about the tone of the astonishment of finding out someone doesn't know something that seems pretty obvious to you.

I don’t know. Some things that should be basic core knowledge

But what people think should be basic core knowledge differs.

I agree that people should know that Ireland is not the same country as the UK and that they should know where Jersey is.

But I remember young people being mocked on here a couple of years ago for not knowing Freddie Mercury was dead. I am not sure that is "core knowledge" especially if you aren't a Queen fan.

People are interested in what they are interested in. I like history and geography so think they should be core knowledge. I know very little about popular culture because I am not interested.

They are hopefully made out of fish though

I think it depends on the topics though doesn't it. I know nothing about cricket and would struggle to name a player apart from Ian Botham. I am not interested in film and couldn't really tell you who was in which film, or who directed it or anything like that.

But that's really more about interests or preferences. It's a whole other level from thinking Canada is in the United States, not knowing who the Prime Minister is, or not knowing the capital of France. That is basic knowledge and you have to work hard to not know that sort of thing.

Having said that, some people wear their "never watch the news, never read a book, school is for losers" attitude like a badge of honour.

It's usually white pollock and why you wont find crabsticks labelled as such anymore and rather the more generic "Seafood sticks"

im repeat offender of sudden (sensible)revelations known as "common sense" ....spoze i just kind of accept minimal intrest info,without query,question,or give any thought at all so ...unlimited history of...updated actual factullys.
Most recent ds2 pointed out recently installed defriblirator installed on wall at local shop. Told me-thats where get defirbilator in a hurry. usual..brely a thot-i sid,,hmff am sure they must believe is life save equipment,needed by community...but i dont drive-zakli how am i spoze drag a near corpse two streets away to use the bloody thing? in the heat of emergency respondering.
hes 14. i think he said fuck off, you are crazy. emergency services give you code to unlock the case-take device to the patient.
how have you got this far in life without a full time carer...if.IF event re emergency ever occurs.make lots a noise, wake entire street...send lassie for help......
is funny (ish)cos we know exactly what ida done.
how does he know these things.....it doesnt say that on stickers.

I went to RoI pre Euros and practically everywhere were incredibly happy to take UK currency, once my English accent was clocked they would tell me I was welcome to pay in sterling (I understand it was worth more than Punts at the time). I had changed currency, it was just the rapidity of the offer of taking Sterling, only for my convenience, of course!.

I hate to tell you this, but fish don't have fingers either.

Bit off topic but I was watching the 2024 tsunami documentary. And I was amazed that many people didn't seem to realize that the sea withdrawing dramatically was a sign of an impending tsunami. Apart from anything else it has been in so many films. But I guess when presented with the reality it must have been so shocking as to paralyse.

You have a very food focused intelligence.

I am in NI and once had someone from an English bank who didn't know that we use the same currency as the rest of the UK and thought we were using punts. This was pre Euros. It was at least 17 years since parity broke.

Grr, I want a Lego Milky Way now (but not at that price).

If anyone says 'You don't even know the nearest planet to earth?' you could always tell them it depends on the date and you don't have time to calculate it right now (it does, it could be Mercury, Venus or Mars, depending on where they are in their orbits).

DH does this and it's really fucking annoying. We're about the same age (born mid 80s) but he is a wealth of knowledge about 90s/early 00s pop/tv etc whereas I was living abroad in various countries during that period (and it was mostly pre internet so not as easy to keep up with this kind of stuff!).

We're sometimes watching tv or whatever and a reference to 'x' band or film or tv show will come on and he'll look shocked and say something like 'But HOW could you not know that?!'. It doesn't happen that often but I'm actually not sure if he's forgotten I had limited access to pop culture in that period or he's trying to wind me up?! If it's the latter he's succeeded 🤣

The other day we were watching some programme about British boybands and he seemed to be in a permanent state of (mock?) shock. I don't even bloody like pop, I doubt I've missed out on much not knowing all of the words to East 17's entire discography 🙈

I am very easy on younger people not knowing music or TV stuff from before they were born. That takes years- there is so much.

And I'm way behind on modern music, film and TV. People seem to get told off for not knowing who Led Zeppelin are but you apparently get a free pass on not knowing who Sabrina Carpenter is.