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Yeah, the impending problem is that sub 90 IQ people are rendered totally useless. That quarter of the population is already much less employable than it was ju

Yeah, the impending problem is that sub 90 IQ people are rendered totally useless. That quarter of the population is already much less employable than it was just a generation ago. The social consequences of this process are already evident. These elite IQ guys like Andreesen in coastal bubbles are totally out of touch with broader society. They really don't grasp that a huge fraction of the population is not going to be training up for the services and digital economy, because that's not realistically possible.

webmaven 12y ago
Straight-up IQ isn't everything. As a society we'll learn to better value (and make use of) other qualities, other intelligences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligence...
- josephschmoe 12y ago
  The point still remains though. There will be and are individuals who are unable to find work in their area. And not everyone is intelligent enough to run their own company and make it profitable. Granted, you could remove that profitability floor with universal basic income.
z0r 12y ago
I don't think IQ has anything to do with the simple problem that people train for and gain experience in specialized professions (a cost of years, maybe a lifetime), but can find themselves poorly paid or out of work when the supply and demand situation turns sour for them. You don't have to be stupid to find yourself unneeded and unable to realistically respond to market signals.
mynameishere 12y ago
A 90 IQ is probably a decent rough measure at this point, because that's about what it takes to handle a cash register or a grill. And when the those jobs are gone, it will inch up, 91, 92, etc. But forget it. Look at the future this guy has concocted in his head: The main fields of human endeavor will be culture, arts, sciences, creativity, philosophy, experimentation, exploration, and adventure. ...it's like he's never met anyone who didn't attend a top tier university. Here's reality: The main fields of human endeavor will be copulating, hustling, consuming low-brow entertainment, eating, and the occasional lunatic running amok. ...and honestly, we're square on that path right now. There are huge numbers of people who are literally useless eaters. Go to a Wal-mart supercenter sometime. Huge big fat people buying candy, soda, potato chips, frozen meals--often paid by the public dole. I'm not even complaining. Unless you start a sterilization program (and we aren't) it's the unavoidable present and future.
- a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
  The main policy point made in The Bell Curve by Murray and Herrnstein was about how important it is to provide people with a valued place in society. Without purposeful work and meaningful social integration you inevitably get the sort of degeneracy we see spreading. About six pages of The Bell Curve touched on race, so of course that and the ensuing screeching is all anybody remembers. The real social commentary in that book is turning out to be very prescient.
- Houshalter 12y ago
  Congratulations on finding ways to make yourself feel superior to the lower class. You are exactly the type of person humanity needs more of.
  - mercer 12y ago
    While I don't share the pessimism or sense of superiority one might read into OP's post, I think their point remains (somewhat) valid. There are many people who 'endeavor' exactly the way he describes, many more than I always wanted to believe. And many of them are quite intelligent, so it's not just about IQ. While changing our approaches to education and the right motivation, in my opinion, can bring people much further than some of us are inclined to believe, this is a limited solution for all the grownups who live in the way OP describes.
  - mahdib 12y ago
    he is just looking outside the window and not sugarcoating. He sees a loser and says that's a loser.

webmaven 12y ago

Straight-up IQ isn't everything. As a society we'll learn to better value (and make use of) other qualities, other intelligences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligence...

josephschmoe 12y ago
The point still remains though. There will be and are individuals who are unable to find work in their area. And not everyone is intelligent enough to run their own company and make it profitable. Granted, you could remove that profitability floor with universal basic income.

z0r 12y ago

I don't think IQ has anything to do with the simple problem that people train for and gain experience in specialized professions (a cost of years, maybe a lifetime), but can find themselves poorly paid or out of work when the supply and demand situation turns sour for them. You don't have to be stupid to find yourself unneeded and unable to realistically respond to market signals.

mynameishere 12y ago

A 90 IQ is probably a decent rough measure at this point, because that's about what it takes to handle a cash register or a grill. And when the those jobs are gone, it will inch up, 91, 92, etc. But forget it. Look at the future this guy has concocted in his head: The main fields of human endeavor will be culture, arts, sciences, creativity, philosophy, experimentation, exploration, and adventure. ...it's like he's never met anyone who didn't attend a top tier university. Here's reality: The main fields of human endeavor will be copulating, hustling, consuming low-brow entertainment, eating, and the occasional lunatic running amok. ...and honestly, we're square on that path right now. There are huge numbers of people who are literally useless eaters. Go to a Wal-mart supercenter sometime. Huge big fat people buying candy, soda, potato chips, frozen meals--often paid by the public dole. I'm not even complaining. Unless you start a sterilization program (and we aren't) it's the unavoidable present and future.

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
The main policy point made in The Bell Curve by Murray and Herrnstein was about how important it is to provide people with a valued place in society. Without purposeful work and meaningful social integration you inevitably get the sort of degeneracy we see spreading. About six pages of The Bell Curve touched on race, so of course that and the ensuing screeching is all anybody remembers. The real social commentary in that book is turning out to be very prescient.
Houshalter 12y ago
Congratulations on finding ways to make yourself feel superior to the lower class. You are exactly the type of person humanity needs more of.
- mercer 12y ago
  While I don't share the pessimism or sense of superiority one might read into OP's post, I think their point remains (somewhat) valid. There are many people who 'endeavor' exactly the way he describes, many more than I always wanted to believe. And many of them are quite intelligent, so it's not just about IQ. While changing our approaches to education and the right motivation, in my opinion, can bring people much further than some of us are inclined to believe, this is a limited solution for all the grownups who live in the way OP describes.
- mahdib 12y ago
  he is just looking outside the window and not sugarcoating. He sees a loser and says that's a loser.