6 ms·
isn't it rather Western to consider raised intelligence the most talkworthy improvement!? I assume you're using "Western" to mean something very racist and vil
by _h4xr 18y ago
isn't it rather Western to consider raised intelligence the most talkworthy improvement!?
I assume you're using "Western" to mean something very racist and vile, like "analyzing the data rationally and coming to the most sensible conclusion." You are unfairly assuming that only Europeans can look at the correlation between IQ and income, or IQ and crime, or whatever. Obviously, the Japanese (IQ 105, crime 5% to 10% of that in the US) or South Koreans (IQ 106, crime rate about 15% of what it is in the US) can look at these data, too, and hope that the rest of the world catches up.
The prevalence of TV and gossip magazines in our culture are responsible for a lot more than that. I don't see a big crusade to fix that.
Probably because you haven't read about how hard it is to change IQ. Nutrition is one of the only things that can measurably affect IQ in the long run. The other one -- the big one, accounting for 40-80% of all IQ variation -- is genetics.
On the other hand, stupid but happy people are probably easier to control.
- petercooper 18y agoI assume you're using "Western" to mean something very racist and vile, like "analyzing the data rationally and coming to the most sensible conclusion." You are unfairly assuming that only Europeans can look at the correlation between IQ and income, or IQ and crime, or whatever. You assume wrong. I did not make the assertions or assumptions you assume. How is "Western" racist? People of all races (except for, perhaps, those of certain indigenous peoples) make up the West and hold Western opinions. And since when were all Western people "European"? It's disturbing that HN has gotten to the point where people are unfairly assumed to be making "racist and vile" statements with nothing to back it up. Shame on you.
- _h4xr 18y agoI'm sorry my sarcasm was not more apparent. My point was that raising IQ would do a lot of good for those people -- more than reducing their pain, in the long term. High IQ groups tend to create stable states and nice places to live, and they're also responsible for a lot of technological advancement. My sub-point was that often the same people uncomfortable with this kind of talk are down on Western culture in particular.
- petercooper 18y agoMy point was that raising IQ would do a lot of good for those people -- more than reducing their pain, in the long term. Would you argue, then, that instead of sending food and medical aid to poor countries, we should send teachers? I'm not buying your argument. Raised IQ does correlate with improved quality of life but the poorest people in the world have more serious problems we could be helping with first such as actually staying alive. And accusing someone of holding racist and vile views is sarcasm - the lowest form of wit? I wish I could call that a good defense.
- _h4xr 18y agoWould you argue, then, that instead of sending food and medical aid to poor countries, we should send teachers? Teachers do not raise IQ. Proper nutrition does. And accusing someone of holding racist and vile views is sarcasm - the lowest form of wit? Okay, read through the comment I made. I am sorry this is unclear, but I am being very sarcastic. I know you are saying that it is Western to want to raise IQ rather than reduce pain; I am saying that this is, in fact the right thing to do and thus that you are using "Western" to mean "logical and sensible" -- and then I say what I'm guessing you would say to someone who said "His views are very Western -- that is, logical, and sensible, and not driven by emotion or ignorance." That is the joke: that you accidentally said something nice about Western culture, and that had someone else said that to you and meant it, you would likely have been annoyed. I am sorry about that. Frog dissection, etc.
- petercooper 18y agoand thus that you are using "Western" to mean "logical and sensible" No, no, no... I'm not saying that! :) That's how you're interpreting it. You are putting words into my mouth which is why the sarcasm made no sense. I do not agree that raising IQ rather than reducing pain is "logical and sensible" at all - and just because you think it is does not make it universally so. Taking someone else's words and then telling them what they really meant can never be a valid form of discourse. Indeed, that very behavior is "Western" in style because you are assuming that what you think is good is good for everyone else too.
- randomwalker 18y agoIndividual IQ is heavily affected by genetics, and this fact has been well established. So far, the evidence that population IQ -- which is what is at issue here -- is influenced by genetics is far more sketchy. The distinction is rather important, because of the sensitivity of the issue of racial IQ differences.
- poppysan 18y agoLets not get into this age-old debate. IQ is not based solely on genetics. Mainly, IQ is a product of birth conditions and parents diet, as well as environmental factors. The genetic link has been used by closet and public racists to push their agenda. They also included factors such as sex. Not saying you are one of those people, but it is a slippery slope, we may want to avoid...
- ksvs 18y agoYou say not to get into the debate, then you immediately launch into your side of it...