jvaccaro6 wrote:
I disagree that people are dumb. I think that people in nature are fearful of what we don't know. So we tell ourselves things that make not knowing easier. Like that Jesus will rise from the dead, and bring us all salvation. I'm not here to start a holy war, maybe he will, maybe he wont. But if it helps someone get through the day, having hope that Jesus will come and save them, I don't see a reason why they can't believe that.
I find it a rather slanted view to view the general public as dumb, and individuals as the enlightened. If that were the case, why not just find the smartest guy in the world, and allow him to rule as a dictator. It would be by far and away safer, because let's face it, the general population is stupid, so one guy of superior intelligence would save us all from our ignorance.
Are there stupid people, yes of course. Do they wind up on TV? Yes, they do, it's entertainment, and ratings go up when you put some yuppy idiot on TV and parade them around. (Are you listening Lindsey Lohan?)
I think the general population as a whole is pretty damn smart. Sure ignorance, and stupidity may seem like they reign supreme, but think about it this way, do you ever hear about the guy who goes through the motions of his daily life on the news? No you dont, you hear about 2 things. Extraordinary acts, and extraordinary stupidity.
In general most people do get their entertainment, and cultural ideals from the media these days, and so it's really easy to call the American public stupid, after all that is 99% of what you see on the news. But keep in mind, those are individuals or groups, not the general population.
Think of it this way, look around the boards, do you really think we just got lucky and found roughly 100 people who are marginally intelligent? I don't I think this is a pretty good survey of the general population. Sure we have a few members that are a bit "derka derka", but for the most part, people on here are fairly smart, and function perfectly normal.
Summing what this rant is all about. People aren't stupid, but the people you hear about, and those that are wasting their time on these surveys, typically are.
I don't know that I agree, then again don't know that I disagree. Stupid or dumb may be debatable, but I would definitely say they are out of touch or ignorant.
Which can lead to stupidity.
You bring up an interesting point by asking why we don't have a person of superior intelligence as a dictator. Perhaps we would be more efficient if that were the case - we would accomplish more. But it's completely wrong and a very bad idea - because power corrupts and I like to believe that we have individual rights, regardless of our intelligence or lack thereof.
The Jesus one may be an exception for religious reasons, but I don't see such a reason behind the rest of them...people seriously think computers will develop human-like traits in the next 40 years?
I think your last part brings up the most important question though - how was this poll conducted (I'd like to see if there was any bias in the specific questions) - and how was the sample chosen? There's a lot of room for bias to be introduced, and proper statistical methods were likely ignored at some point. I might actually see if I can contact them for more information.
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