<< Having also lived in the UK and India, I can say that there are just as many people oblivious to what goes on outside the world in those countries as there are here in the U.S. >>
Exactly. I can say the same for Greece and Italy. Frankly, anyone who thinks their own country is populated entirely with all-knowing literati is delusional. In fact I am genuinely curious as to why so many foreigners are obsessed with the general knowledge--or lack thereof--possessed by Americans. AFAIK, most Americans couldn't care less whether a Romanian, for example, could point out the US on a map so why, then, does that Romanian think it so important that we be able to identify his own country? And which is worse, displaying total apathy towards current events thousands of miles away in Ghana, or obsessing over the thoughts and day-to-day activities of its inhabitants while problems in your very own backyard go unsolved?? Two sides of the same coin IMHO...
LMAO at some of the comments in this thread, BTW.