Serbian visitor claims Zagreb friends lack general knowledge

A Serbian Reddit user visiting Zagreb for a weekend reported being taken aback by what he described as a widespread lack of general knowledge among his friends and their social circles. The user, who spent time with colleagues and friends of his Zagreb-based host, noted that while the atmosphere was good, conversations often stalled when he tried to broach deeper topics.

He recounted attempts to discuss films, books, world politics, scientific advancements, and even pop culture, only to be met with blank stares. As an example, he mentioned referencing the films "Back to the Future" and "Mad Max," which he watched as a child, and being met with confusion. One woman allegedly asked if they were Marvel superheroes.

Discussions on geography and European history also proved challenging, with participants reportedly unsure of locations beyond Croatia's Istria region or nearby Trieste. Even conversations about new technologies, artificial intelligence trends, and open-source culture elicited similar responses, with the user characterizing the attitude as "I just do what my boss sends me and wait for Friday to have a beer with colleagues."

Despite his observations, the user stressed that his intention was not to praise Serbia's education system. He suggested that while Serbian schools face criticism, the situation elsewhere might be "nicely packaged" but fundamentally "hollow." He pondered whether a growing societal focus on materialism and hedonism could be contributing to this perceived lack of engagement with broader knowledge.

Comments on the Reddit post largely questioned the user's conclusion, with some suggesting he encountered a specific group rather than a general trend. Others proposed that his chosen topics might not have been of interest to his interlocutors, or humorously suggested he might have been perceived as "annoying." One user who frequently visits Zagreb stated their experience differed, noting a surprising lack of interest in nationalism and the Yugoslav wars despite their prevalence online.