Regarding your post about the Mechanicals knowing about US politics - I find that really interesting that you find it strange, because it seems obvious to me. I'm from Canada, and growing up most people in my classes knew way more about US politics and history than Canada's. US media has a huuge influence. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mechanicals knew more about US politics just from the media they consume.
You know, I honestly think I found it strange because I’m FROM the US, and I’ve never felt like I know much about the politics of any other country but this one myself. I was thinking of politics as something you learn in school, not something you learn by watching the news/media, and I guess I just assumed other countries also only taught about their own current systems of government and no one else’s. Like, I got US government, and some of historical Britain where it overlaps with US history, but nothing modern from any other country really. And I’ve never been much of a news watcher, but when I have, it’s almost all local news, so it isn’t super easy to get international politics stuff there. About all I know of Canadian government is that there’s a Parliament and Justin Trudeau is the prime minister, and I know that from the internet. I mean yikes, US, self-centered much? I guess I never really realized that US media had such a wide reach. But, I mean, how could I know what it’s like to live in and consume media in another country when I’ve only ever been in this one? I think this is one of my favorite things about the Internet, the way it’s making me more globally conscious before I’ve even gotten the chance to travel. It’s wild to me that kids in New Zealand know all about the US’s problems with gun control and Republicans and the election, while I would have very little idea what The Issues in NZ are, or if they even have elections, because I’ve never had a reason to look it up before. Makes me a little sad, actually. And a lot fascinated.