The intelligence of the human race

[Andothul]

People aren't getting less intelligent (they are getting more intelligent with each generation)

They are getting more lazy.

 

[Epilepsy]

IQ is actually increasing on average every year, believe it or not.

But that comes with standard of living being higher, amongst other things.

The intelligence quotient is an average, with the peak of its bell curve centred around 100. ALWAYS. It is literally impossible for "teh average IQ" to increase, only for the outliers to decrease.
(sorry about the rant, but it pisses me off to no end when people mess around with the IQ system)

However the main idea behind this is true. Average intelligence is increasing per generation. If you feel like everyone else is slowly getting dumber, it's likely because your growth is outstripping theirs.

Or you live in Texas, either way.

 

[Vault101]

yeah sure people are getting stupider

just like the world is going to end in 2012 and videogames turn you into raping killing sociopaths

 

[legion431]

I think the younger generations are becoming stupider because their influenced by many things like poorly written TV shows and commercialism. So they will grow up, they'll breed a generation of half wits and the cycle will continue.

I cannot resist (do not take offense)...

..."stupider" is not a word. The word is "dumber".

My God, it's spreading!

QUICK! I need the vaccine.

 

[Zaik]

Spoiler

Seems fairly relevant to the conversation.

Edit: dammit, someone beat me to it.

 

[vxicepickxv]

People aren't getting less intelligent (they are getting more intelligent with each generation)

They are getting more lazy.

So, they're getting more intelligent, they're just never taught how to apply their intelligence.

 

[BrownGaijin]

Working in a theme park, I've also noticed that people's intelligence drops as the group they are in gets bigger, which is why I've made it a point to change the world, not with the rage of a mob, but with the civility and rationale of an individual - and sometimes that doesn't even work ^^;

 

[Andothul]

People aren't getting less intelligent (they are getting more intelligent with each generation)

They are getting more lazy.

So, they're getting more intelligent, they're just never taught how to apply their intelligence.

Correct.

 

[Shirokurou]

Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. Though I'm still not sure about the universe. (c) Einstein.

 

[ShaqLevick]

Well, the American education system is shiat... so if you were to examine literacy then it would seem you were in a sad state of affairs, but over the past century statistically you are doing fantastic. The problem nowadays is that with the internet and cable television, well you see you've given a voice to the "stupids", making it much more difficult to tune them out.

 

[FurinKazanNZ]

I heard from some science guy that IQ generally goes up a bit every generation. There've always been dumb people though, and always will be.

 

[Treefingers]

Wait, people still bowl? Or just nerds?

All the cool kids are into bowling!!

 

[The Gnome King]

At work today, I had a large group of people walk through the door. They asked me what the best deal we had was and I told them. They then asked for what the regular price was, which I told them. So you have some context, I work at a bowling center. The special was 3 hours for $15, regular was $5 per game and $4 for shoes. The group had to stop and think about it. They literally had to stop for at least 10 minutes to figure out what was the better deal. I wouldn't mind so much if they had moved out of the way, but no. Instead they stood there like cows blocking the road for others.

Is it just me, or is the intelligence of the human race slowly declining? Maybe its just an American thing, but this is happening on a daily basis. Thank you for letting me rant. I would also like to hear some other experiences like this.

I'm not sure if the intelligence of the human race is declining ala "Idiocracy" or if our increased contact with/communication with more and more people is simply highlighting the worst of the worst.

I know that the advent of the internet let us talk to a lot more people than we used to, and I know that negative experiences tend to stick out in the mind more than positive ones do. So, there is that.

 

[2718]

To everyone claiming the avarage IQ is increasing in the world: How much does China and India contribute to that? Both are countries with very big populations, and both are countries where education has become more prevalent quite recently. Considering how large a percentage they make up of the human race, if they alone got smarter while the rest of the world grew more stupid, the avarage IQ would still climb. Has anyone got the statistics?

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

At work today, I had a large group of people walk through the door. They asked me what the best deal we had was and I told them. They then asked for what the regular price was, which I told them. So you have some context, I work at a bowling center. The special was 3 hours for $15, regular was $5 per game and $4 for shoes. The group had to stop and think about it. They literally had to stop for at least 10 minutes to figure out what was the better deal. I wouldn't mind so much if they had moved out of the way, but no. Instead they stood there like cows blocking the road for others.

Is it just me, or is the intelligence of the human race slowly declining? Maybe its just an American thing, but this is happening on a daily basis. Thank you for letting me rant. I would also like to hear some other experiences like this.

You act like it's obvious what choice they should have made, but do you know how much time they had to bowl? What if they only wanted to play a single game? Is it $15 per person per lane rental or just a flat $15 to rent it plus $4 per person for shoes? I need more context, man.

 

[Brightzide]

Well here in Manchester, the moron and simpleton population seems to be skyrocketing. If you're noticing the same thing in your home towns and cities too...we're in trouble. I dont know about you, but i've already got a bunker ready.

 

[DaJoW]

To everyone claiming the avarage IQ is increasing in the world: How much does China and India contribute to that? Both are countries with very big populations, and both are countries where education has become more prevalent quite recently. Considering how large a percentage they make up of the human race, if they alone got smarter while the rest of the world grew more stupid, the avarage IQ would still climb. Has anyone got the statistics?

Most tests are standardized nationally, not globally I believe. Since wiki's page on this (the Flynn effect) says there are studies suggesting it is slowing down or has stopped in some developed countries, that would seem to support that. Also, it's 3 IQ points / decade, so it isn't all that dramatic (though I've read about death row inmates who could not be executed because an IQ test they took as children now puts them below the threshold for execution).

 

[Zeema]

i worked at KFC for 2 years

Alot of them were Dumber then a Sack full of hammers,

True Story
a women comes up 2 to me and asks 'Is MW2 a Good game for a 10 year old' [facepalm] i said 'Madam we dont Sell Video Games we sell Food, if you walk over to EB Games they can tell you about the game.

in the calmest voice possible then she asked to see the manager and i got my manager and the Manager did pretty much the exact same thing i did then we gave her a Customer Service Number because she was upset with service.

[facepalm]

But Yes Me and about 5/8 agree that Humans to a extent are stupid Bigoted annoyances.