How dumb are people?

[undeterred]

[redqueen]

1. This era in history belongs to the dumbass.

No question.

[undeterred]

4. Just think, someday history teachers will refer to

the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Imperial Reign of Dumbass, whose negative effects took a century to undo.

[anarch]

2. Well...think of the person of "average intelligence".

By definition, half the people in the world are even dumber than that.

[hfojvt]

6. aaaaarrrrgh

That is simply not true.

and one of the things that makes people stupid is the flood of misinformation that washes over us daily.

[anarch]

9. alright then, let me put it this way:

If 77% of people have an IQ of less than 100, I belong with the other 13%. :dunce:

[redqueen]

10. Errr I'm dumb...

how is that not true?

[anarch]

15. I think what he means

is that an average, or arithmetic mean, of a set of values relating to, say, IQ for each member of a set doesn't have anything to do with the statistical distribution of values relative to that average.

Like, if you have six guys with an IQ of 100 and two Bush voters (IQs 47 and 60), the average IQ for the group is about 88. The IQ distribution is thus 75% above that average, and 25% below it.


But I was just being a smartass. :dunce:

[redqueen]

19. Heh

Well I took you seriously, because I've heard that so many times... never questioned it.

Thanks. :)

[hfojvt]

17. it depends on the distribution

average usually means "mean" - the mathematical average, not median which is the mid-point (where 50% are greater and 50% are less)
take the series - 1, 2, 5, 6, 6
5 is the median
however, the average is 4, and as you can see 60% of the group is above average.
So, if you take the "by definition" out of the statement and replace it with "about" then it would be more accurate, but it is very easy to create distributions where that is not true either - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and ten million. (for example the average wealth in the room if Bill Gates crashes my family reunion). The average is 1,000,004.5 and 90% are below average. Or I could create a distribution where 90% are above average.

[redqueen]

20. It's odd, because I've used that argument even...

in debates with people about economic matters, incomes, etc.

Never occurred to me to tie that to that saying. See, told ya... I'm duuuuuuuuumb.

[hfojvt]

25. in economic matters

often we talk about median incomes, so that the numbers do not get skewed by people like Bill Gates.

[hfojvt]

33. perhaps I should say something about that dumb comment

although I did not think it was sirius. I do not think you are dumb (actually I do not think very many people are dumb and I am supposed to be smart). Nobody knows everything and nobody goes through life without believing many things which they later find to be wrong. Gandhi was asked why he had changed his opinion and he just smiled and said "I am so much better informed today".

Plus, you are very dear to me, so, since this other "queen" ended up being male :blush: that I should say this to you:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=4577290&mesg_id=4577728 but I say that to almost all the girls.
:evilgrin:

[Deep13]

3. Dumber than a bag of hammers.

Dumber than a sack of doorknobs.
Dumber than a box of rocks.
As sharp as a sack of wet mice.
As bright as a low-watt bulb.

[Initech]

5. The idiots are taking over!

It's not the right time to be sober
Now the idiots have taken over
Spreading like a social cancer, is there an answer?

Mensa membership exceeding
Tell me why and how are all the stupid people breeding
Watson, it's really elementary
The industrial revolution
Has flipped the bitch on evolution
The benevolent and wise are being cornered, ostracized, what a bummer
The world keeps getting dumber
Insensitivity is standard and faith is being fancied over reason

Darwin's rollin over in his coffin
The fittest are surviving much less often
Now everything seems to be reversing, and it's worsening
Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool
Now angry mob mentality's no longer the exception, it's the rule
And I'm startin to feel a lot like charlton heston
Stranded on a primate planet
Apes and orangutans that ran it to the ground
With generals and the armies that obeyed them
Followers following fables
Philosophies that enable them to rule without regard

There's no point for democracy when ignorance is celebrated
Political scientists think the same one vote that some monkeys are inbred
Majority rule, don't work in mental institutions
Sometimes the smallest softest voice carries the grand biggest solutions

What are we left with?
A nation of god-fearing pregnant nationalists
Who feel it's their duty to populate the homeland
Pass on traditions
How to get ahead religions
And prosperity be a symbol to culture

The idiots are takin over

[wildhorses]

7. dumber than dirt clods

and about as useless

[Hissyspit]

8. I have never seen such a period of American stupidity in my 43 years

There are always stupid people. There are always smart people who act stupid. Sometimes I'm stupid.

But considering, in context, all that has come before us, this is relatively speaking, the stupidest period in American history in my lifetime.

Please nominate.

[lpbk2713]

11. It never fails to amaze me.

Every four years we have an election just to show how dumb and/or gullible people really can be.

[billyskank]

12. Dumb, and getting dumber. I know I am. Hoo boy.

:dunce:

[Deja Q]

13. Government is made by, of, and for the people to ensure it remains ethical

Libertarians can say that "big government" is bad all they want. But then they can't begin to say how "big corporation" is good. Government is supposed to regulate. Be regulated by those it regulates. Instead, it has been perverted - it no longer regulates, it gives carte blanch free passes. THAT is why we've lost our manufacturing, engineering, and intellectuaL industries to fascist countries like China. Because we don't govern ourselves; we demand somebody else do it all for us.

Everything for nothing. Or everything at the lowest cost.

Libertarians have a point, but they don't see the system as a whole. That's because they're as duped as the rest of us are.

[Hissyspit]

14. Will. Believe. Everything. You Say. Hypno. Toad

Must. Obey.

Hypno. Toad.

Must. Obey.

(sorry I didn't read your post; couldn't get past the avatar)

[EstimatedProphet]

16. So dumb...

No matter how dumb you think they are, they are still dumber.

[undeterred]

29. it is inpossible to misunderestimate there stupididy

:cry: :silly:

[Homey]

18. If our prez is an indicator.....

Black hole stupid....so stupid no intelligence can escape. ;)

[undeterred]

30. ...

Welcome to DU!

[Patiod]

21. If my email box is any indication

Frightenly stupid

/not really true -- very few people send me stuff because I send them links to snopes.com in response, which does NOT win you friends

[ghostsofgiants]

22. I was watching Family Fued today...

The question was "Aside from the United States, name the country you most admire."

One dude said China. That was pretty fucking dumb.

But the kicker was when ANOTHER dude said Europe.

[AllegroRondo]

24. "Is New Mexico part of Mexico?"

[lpbk2713]

26. I've seen that happen before.

The question would be "Name a country that ...... (yadda, yadda)".


And the answer would be "LONDON!" or "PARIS!".


Family Feud must love moran freeper types.

[ghostsofgiants]

27. Family Fued must love the American education system.

[AllegroRondo]

23. Wizard's First Rule

(Great book by Terry Goodkind)

Sums it up this way-
The Wizard's First Rule is: people are stupid. They will believe anything as long as they either want it to be true, or are afraid it might be true.

[trof]

28. Other: 'W' bumper sticker dumb.

[Rabrrrrrr]

31. "really fucking ubelievably"

[undeterred]

32. I knew that I was missing an option

and you just said it!

[Rabrrrrrr]

34. Thanks!

Having a microscopally low opinion of people helps to come up with just the right words.

[Hissyspit]

35. Put this on the Greatest page already!

How are we ever going to get a large enough scientific sample of smart people to be able to figure out how dumb are people?

[Fox Mulder]

36. Pretty fucking dumb.

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

37. What formerly

was considered dumb has been upgraded to simple and common, I'd hate to see what's consider dumb now?

[undeterred]

38. dumb and dumber