No, mostly because the conditions for modern society do not exist outside of their nascent form in a midevil world. Economics? What are you going to do with that knowledge as a serf who can’t go more than 20 miles before breaking the law. Math? Do you know calculus and it’s various proofs? How much can you do without a calculator? If not you will just be an average mathematician of the time, assuming your lord even lets you do anything with that talent. Networking? Do you know your neighbor’s name? What about their neighbor’s? Reading might help, but certainly wouldn’t be a rare skill, especially if it is easy to join a church as clergy or a priest. Not even mentioning the fact that you probably don’t know the new language. A hobby or profession then is going to be giving you an advantage, but what good would a philosophy, such as natural philosophy aka science, be if you do not have the ability to spread or test your knowledge since you are a serf. Like wise with something like chess, calligraphy, art, etc. So unless you are a blacksmith, pharmacist, botanist, survivalist, or something that can help you as a serf you are practically screwed.
Oh great, a cynic. Listen, with basic math and microeconomics it would be easy for someone to become a merchant rather than remain a peasant or one could eaarn the lord's attention and become their assistant. Those are just a few examples.All these skills would be mightily useless if you are born a peasant. Chemistry ... Economics ...
What are even those economics? Accounting? An excel sheet?
As for networking ... Depending on your fantasy setting, you know how the feudal system works, right?
"most authors abandon the thread after the first few chapters"
You miss the point. Feudalism goes deeper. Your station in life was determined by your birth.
Yeah, like how the modern Homo Sapiens Sapiens, especially my neighbors here in our subdivision, would disturb our day off just because they can't understand the sign on our gate that says CLOSED FOR BUSINESS EVERY SUNDAY.
I'd argue on the side that any isekai'ed person would be at a disadvantage. The problem with knowledge taught in schools is that it's relevent to our culture. However, the average person isn't taught how to make technology from scratch. Lets say you actually remember the Haber process from chemistry. If you don't remember it, thats the one that makes ammonia, useful for fertilisers. Even if you do fully remember what you were taught about that in school, are you actually going to be able to replicate all that by yourself in a fantasy world? Maybe, but it would take years of research to make a working prototype. This pretty much goes for most technology out there. You want to make electricity? Would you know how to make a simple electrical generator? Would you know how to make motors or light bulbs or anything uses electricity?
As for the Haber-Bosch process, there is a reason it is usually called Haber-Bosch and not just Haber. Haber was the mastermind behind the chemistry. Bosch was a genius of engineering who together with the BASF company, a German chemical giant back then, supported Haber with their immense financial and technical resources. They put his theory into practice, which was quite the undertaking.
So you ignored the whole premise of the original post, "Many isekai could have used just used a character from that world but pointlessly grabbed a character from the modern world to have a self-insert." and then accused others of missing the point. The irony is palpable.
As for math and your "microeconomics", you significantly underestimate the merchants back then if you seriously think you make the cut just like that.
"Someone from the modern world has the advantage of learning math (at least basic math), should have basic critical thinking skills, understand the importance of networking, be willing to learn reading and writing of the new world, understand the basics of economics (even if its usually just microeconomics), and possibly have personal skills from a hobby (like a sport such as fencing, a science like chemistry, or an art like drawing or playing an instrument). Basically they should have an advantage over the average peasant even without cheat skills, but often times they don't utilize anything useful from their past experiences."
I get it. You're not good at reading, so you're here to practice."Someone from the modern world has the advantage of learning math (at least basic math), should have basic critical thinking skills, understand the importance of networking, be willing to learn reading and writing of the new world, understand the basics of economics (even if its usually just microeconomics), and possibly have personal skills from a hobby (like a sport such as fencing, a science like chemistry, or an art like drawing or playing an instrument). Basically they should have an advantage over the average peasant even without cheat skills, but often times they don't utilize anything useful from their past experiences."
This was the premise.
Your premise remains unchanged.
Nope, Moving the goalpost is a logical fallacy in which evidence presented in response to a specific claim is dismissed and some other evidence is demanded. That is, after an attempt has been made to score a goal, the goalposts are moved to exclude the attempt. The problem with changing the rules of the game is that the meaning of the result is changed, too. An argument could be made that you are the one moving the goalpost.
To quote,
"Not all isekai are bad but so many either don't utilize the advantages of modern knowledge or just erase the character's memory so that he doesn't have the benefit of his knowledge. Many isekai could have used just used a character from that world but pointlessly grabbed a character from the modern world to have a self-insert.
Someone from the modern world has the advantage of learning math (at least basic math), should have basic critical thinking skills, understand the importance of networking, be willing to learn reading and writing of the new world, understand the basics of economics (even if its usually just microeconomics), and possibly have personal skills from a hobby (like a sport such as fencing, a science like chemistry, or an art like drawing or playing an instrument). Basically they should have an advantage over the average peasant even without cheat skills, but often times they don't utilize anything useful from their past experiences."
Your premise is that people don't use their past life’s skills. I respond to that in the sense that you overrate skills and underestimate the challenges involved, yet you suddenly try here to move the goal post.
And in that sense I responded, pointing out the problem of your premise. See, everything according to logic.