5 ms·

I really doubt that. While I am aware of shrinking IQ, as far as I know its a thing of the last 30 years, leaded gas in most developed countries was already out

I really doubt that. While I am aware of shrinking IQ, as far as I know its a thing of the last 30 years, leaded gas in most developed countries was already outlawed.

kikokikokiko 5y ago
IQ reduction is totally expected from the moment contraceptive methods became fully available. Common sense seems to be out of fashion these days, but Idiocracy was spot on: the dumber you are the more prone to "unexpected" pregnancies you'll be. The future will not be Star Trek.
- maerF0x0 5y ago
  you never know. We might be able to hit a critical mass with Authoritarian regimes regulating reproduction, and through gene editing. Perhaps when we finally translate "unintelligent people" into "vermin" we'll do what many previous iterations of society have done... genocide. Part of this is literally possible. A big part of made stark to point out that we should be careful in the way our language dehumanizes people of below average intelligence. They're still part of our species, and biological history.
  - 09bjb 5y ago
    Until we treat "unintelligent" people in our society with compassion and respect I think "intelligent" is a misnomer for the remaining demographic.
  - marcusverus 5y ago
    Many things are true simultaneously. Genocide is a moral abomination, and we should be vigilant in guarding against it and its precursors. And folks with below average intelligence are just as human as everyone else, deserving of the same respect and the same rights. And there are many contemporary factors that would seem to make high IQ people less likely to procreate low IQ people--including the high cost (including trade-off costs) of children and the ready availability of contraceptives. And long term downward pressure on IQ would be a disaster for our civilization and a danger to our species. We can't let the ghosts of eugenicists past scare us away from asking important questions. Avoiding the awful mistakes of the past will require care and diligence, and can be (must be!) done without embracing the easy path of reactionary "moral" ignorance.
    - maerF0x0 5y ago
      > including the high cost (including trade-off costs) of children I honestly think part of it is like Parkinson's law, but for resources to spend on children -- Children are expensive to rich people largely because rich people spend lots on their children. (too much?) Children mostly thrive in opportunity and resources (so long as it isn't pacifying their desire to achieve for themselves). On the tradeoffs, this is pure psychology. Generations of people who have shirked social responsibility, and maximized selfishness. "Me" generation + "me me me" generation and all that. Time for people who see society, humanity, and duty as more beneficial than getting a bunch of likes on TikTok for doing something that inconveniences others (like dancing in a crosswalk or something) . 200 ok /Rant

I really doubt that. While I am aware of shrinking IQ, as far as I know its a thing of the last 30 years, leaded gas in most developed countries was already outlawed.

kikokikokiko 5y ago

IQ reduction is totally expected from the moment contraceptive methods became fully available. Common sense seems to be out of fashion these days, but Idiocracy was spot on: the dumber you are the more prone to "unexpected" pregnancies you'll be. The future will not be Star Trek.

maerF0x0 5y ago
you never know. We might be able to hit a critical mass with Authoritarian regimes regulating reproduction, and through gene editing. Perhaps when we finally translate "unintelligent people" into "vermin" we'll do what many previous iterations of society have done... genocide. Part of this is literally possible. A big part of made stark to point out that we should be careful in the way our language dehumanizes people of below average intelligence. They're still part of our species, and biological history.
- 09bjb 5y ago
  Until we treat "unintelligent" people in our society with compassion and respect I think "intelligent" is a misnomer for the remaining demographic.
- marcusverus 5y ago
  Many things are true simultaneously. Genocide is a moral abomination, and we should be vigilant in guarding against it and its precursors. And folks with below average intelligence are just as human as everyone else, deserving of the same respect and the same rights. And there are many contemporary factors that would seem to make high IQ people less likely to procreate low IQ people--including the high cost (including trade-off costs) of children and the ready availability of contraceptives. And long term downward pressure on IQ would be a disaster for our civilization and a danger to our species. We can't let the ghosts of eugenicists past scare us away from asking important questions. Avoiding the awful mistakes of the past will require care and diligence, and can be (must be!) done without embracing the easy path of reactionary "moral" ignorance.
  - maerF0x0 5y ago
    > including the high cost (including trade-off costs) of children I honestly think part of it is like Parkinson's law, but for resources to spend on children -- Children are expensive to rich people largely because rich people spend lots on their children. (too much?) Children mostly thrive in opportunity and resources (so long as it isn't pacifying their desire to achieve for themselves). On the tradeoffs, this is pure psychology. Generations of people who have shirked social responsibility, and maximized selfishness. "Me" generation + "me me me" generation and all that. Time for people who see society, humanity, and duty as more beneficial than getting a bunch of likes on TikTok for doing something that inconveniences others (like dancing in a crosswalk or something) . 200 ok /Rant