Poll: Are Humans Smart?

[Somethingironic]

This one is simple. I've been hearing (reading) a lot of debate around these forums, and it seems that every now and then, somebody throws out the old: "humans are stupid" line.

See here:

becuase humans (the oddest creature that you will ever come across) are easly suseptable to over induglign things.

What scares me? Human stupidity. It's INFINITE.

no. while humans may in fact be the end of the world, it won't happen by 2012.

I disagree. Humans are, by any way you want to measure intelligence, the smartest creatures known to man. Such a title is easy to come by, yes. We are currently the ONLY race vying to be the smartest race on the planet, but if a man wins a one man marathon, he still wins, right?

I want us to debate human intelligence right here. I want everybody in on this. I argue we're the smartest race around these parts, and you can get in on it if you like. Or just sit back and watch the fireworks, your choice.

Play nice!

 

[Naybo]

We're not the smartest, we're just the most awesome and trigger happy.
Badgers are the smartest.
They're black and white, so no racism ^-^

 

[pha kin su pah]

individually there are plenty of shining examples, which lead to yes answers. but....

un masse the stupidity as well as arrogance spreads like a disease, diluting intelligence.

 

[John Galt]

A person is smart, people are stupid. When in large numbers, the lowest common denominator wins out.

 

[kingofwolves]

The number of idiots far outnumbers the number of smarties. /b, as funny as it is, is a prime example

 

[Sylocat]

Some people are intelligent and thoughtful, eager to learn, eager to grow, who want to make the world a better place. About one person in twenty falls into this category (the ratio is even more extreme on "teh intarwebz").

The general public at large, however, will go to great lengths to avoid having to think for themselves or make decisions. Their fear of intellectual curiosity is surpassed only by their fear of actually having to do some work to get the benefits they are so convinced they deserve. Dangle the promise of rewards without effort in their faces, and they will sit up and bark like dogs if you ask them to. Reality TV. Jerry Springer. Tabloids. 4chan. Microsoft. "EPIC 1337 R0XX0R5!!1!!111!1one!!one11eleven!!!!!!" Our country is run by a bunch of sadistic madmen, but all the public wants to know is what Paris Hilton had for breakfast this morning.

 

[Somethingironic]

The number of idiots far outnumbers the number of smarties. /b, as funny as it is, is a prime example

What is it /b of which people speak? Don't show me it, just tell me what it is. Describe it.

 

[Isaac Dodgson]

We're a bunch damnable idiots when you compare us with each other. However you compare us to other species on the planet the story changes...it's all relative you know. Like time, and your in laws.

 

[Sylocat]

Wanting to make the world a better place isn?t exactly a staple of intelligence, nor is wanting to work hard. In fact logically if something can be done without expelling energy it is more efficient.

The problem is, not everything CAN be done without expending energy. And nobody wants to work hard, but some things require it.

 

[PurpleRain]

We're intellegent, though many of us aren't wise.

 

[jim_doki]

you tell me:
we have created the internet. it's a feat of engineering and wonder, capable of uniting every single person on the planet. It's able to allow each of us to have our own opinion and say what we want to say, through the beauty of annonymity and from the comfort of our own homes. and what do we do with it?

Anus Fruitshake

You tell me

 

[stompy]

A person is smart, people are stupid. When in large numbers, the lowest common denominator wins out.

Can't get better than that. The masses suck, will individuals can be very intelligent beings.

 

[Ultrajoe]

I don't worry much, given that its on an average as long as i live and breathe ladies and gentleman we are most definitely the smartest, and the sexiest, hell, go for most musically gifted while your at it.

Modesty... now, that escapes us.

 

[Martenzo]

As a rule, humans are intelligent, but they're also ignorant, and too lazy to change themselves. Which equals to a massive amount of unused potential. So the vast majority of humans, while intelligent, are still idiots, because they usually don't use that intellect.

 

[meatloaf231]

you tell me:
we have created the internet. it's a feat of engineering and wonder, capable of uniting every single person on the planet. It's able to allow each of us to have our own opinion and say what we want to say, through the beauty of annonymity and from the comfort of our own homes. and what do we do with it?

Anus Fruitshake

You tell me

That, my friend, is so very true. There is an unprecedented flow of information, which is actually destroying the reliability and importance of most of it. Because we can access almost everything instantaneously, we are making information pointless. I could go on a rant, but I am afraid it will end up sounding too much like the end of MGS2.

 

[Khedive Rex]

Before I voice my opinion on this matter I would like to say that it's a proven fact Neanderthals had larger brains than modern day humans. Are we smarter than Parakeetes? Of course. Are we the smartest creatures that have ever lived and the most awesome and the only one worth disscussing? No.

Now then, I tend to think humans are intelligent at the same time that they're bloody stupid; much in the same way as a three year old who can do calculous but chooses to spend most of his time banging his head repeatedly against a wall. In practise, this child is an idiot. An idiot with potential perhaps, perhaps a great deal of potential, but ultimately still an idiot. That is perhaps the most depressing part. Humans could be much more than they choose to be and its irritating watching them squander their potential but in the end there is little to be done about it.

Humans aren't smart, humans have the potential to be smart.

 

[Korolev]

Some humans are smart. Some are stupid. As a species we are generally intelligent, and a hell of a lot more intelligent than any other species on the planet. We are the only species with a complex language that has grammar and syntax. We are the only species which has extend its natural lifespan. We are the only species which have comprehended the most fundamental aspects of the universe. We are the only species with philosophy, advanced morality and science. We are the only species which has ANY prospect of self-improvement.

Granted, the human species has acted stupidly in the past, and there are a lot of idiots in the world. But there some humans which are quite bright and wish to make the world a better place. Remember, we are the only species which has even the slightest prospect at achieving something greater than what we started with. Although Humanity will probably cock-it-all-up, we are the ONLY species which has ANY potential to reach for the stars and dream for a better world.

The other animals are too stupid to do anything except eat, drink, breathe and reproduce. And although many people do follow that pattern, there are some human beings who invest their time in understanding the deepest laws of the universe, building, inventing, exploring and creating.

As a species we are quite smart. And we are truly capable of great things.

Of course, we'll still probably waste all that potential and nuke ourselves into oblivion.

 

[Lord Krunk]

It's depressing, but we are the smartest.

I just wish the previous 3 generations were smarter, though.

No offense, but I hate the notion that we're meant to be the generation that cleans up everyone else's mess. I mean, CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

Also the fact that Charles Darwin was buried outside a church, (against his wishes);
Einstein created E=MC2 in order to promote world peace, (It triggered the invention of the H-Bomb);
And people still believe that we won the Vietnam War, JFK was a good president, religion still exists, even though we've already found the real explanation for everything (besides the afterlife), and that the Queen and Pope are actually figures of importance in todays world.

To back up my last comment, it's not like we actually NEED an "all-powerful" Windsor Family, or a Catholic figurehead, either.

 

[BlueMage]

"A person is neither dangerous nor stupid - a group of people is both." - this is one of my personal quotes. Individually, a person can be brilliant, not prone to foolishness at all. But we are still subject to pack mentality it seems, and as soon as we get into groups larger than three, the group's collective intelligence drops.

Essentially, John Galt and I agree.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I wish I knew what this thread is on about. *druels*