honestly i dont think that such a list of musthaveknowledge would make much sense . sure you should know the current head of your government , the fact that earth has a moon and revolves around the sun , that smoking and excessive drinking can be harmful to your health but there is only so much a person can focus their attention on . the goal is not to know everything an intelligent adult should know but to be curious and open to be educated on things that you are ignorant about . even the most intelligent person will have a gap in knowledge that could make them look like the dumbest idiot on earth . not knowing isnt shameful , not caring is . i am aware that this may not be the answer you hoped for . all i am trying to tell you is that nobody will exam you randomly on the street and put you in jail for not knowing the capital city of russia . start with something you are always curious about and see where it takes you . dont waste money on books that teach you to BE SMARTER IN 10 EASY STEPS