Are we getting dumber?

[Zazubat]

I thought, people back in the day were many less technologically advanced than us today, but were they dumber then us? I mean, many today do really really dumb shit, and many don't care about education. While we're flying to space and creating robots that look and act like humans, we also have TV shows such as Jersey Shore which just makes me want to question what kind of a world I live in. And wars are everywhere. And I mean, there's no point in history where there isn't a war going on (no an actual fact, but probably 80 % true), but it seems crazy right now, hearing about the dying soldiers coming back to their homeland all the time. We try to make better, and Africa wouldn't be the same 500 years ago as it is now, and people try to help those in need, though with all these economical and fuel and food problems, who knows how long something like this can last. Can we survive for much longer if nobody is willing to do something about it? Of course it sounds crazy, but we live in a world that's changing every second, new people being born and dying, technology changing. A world I want to live in is a world is a world where these problems aren't a thing. But that world is not going to be in my lifetime or yours, but for future generations, we have to take care of them.

[Aix]

About people doing stupid things and not caring about education, well that's because they don't know the consequences and don't know how to think ahead, by the time they realize the importance of education, it's too late anyway.

 

Back in the "old times", people knew that they had to do stuff to survive, nowadays, people can rely on welfare services, so it's less of a deal, dumb people care less. Also, back then, well here I'm talking farther back, a lot of choices were made for them, so they can't really screw up too far, a person's path in life was well defined.

[Zazubat]

About people doing stupid things and not caring about education, well that's because they don't know the consequences and don't know how to think ahead, by the time they realize the importance of education, it's too late anyway.

 

Back in the "old times", people knew that they had to do stuff to survive, nowadays, people can rely on welfare services, so it's less of a deal, dumb people care less. Also, back then, well here I'm talking farther back, a lot of choices were made for them, so they can't really screw up too far, a person's path in life was well defined.

True, this is also fact today, as many women are not allowed to do certain things, and must marry men in some countries. You could say that is dumb as well, and it is if we're talking human rights, but not exactly what I'm going for here, but it's something we shouldn't neglect.

[Sander]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there will always be problems with the world that humanity occupies. There will always be poverty, starvation, homelessness, and countless other problems that we're facing even now. Food (including water) will be the most prominent, though. Unless we find a way to make technology that allows us to get more land for crops / animals / etc, we'll run out of room to produce edible "goods" (using this term very loosely, as in it includes most basic things like corn etc) for the ever growing number of mouths of the future.

[Zazubat]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there will always be problems with the world that humanity occupies. There will always be poverty, starvation, homelessness, and countless other problems that we're facing even now. Food (including water) will be the most prominent, though. Unless we find a way to make technology that allows us to get more land for crops / animals / etc, we'll run out of room to produce edible "goods" (using this term very loosely, as in it includes most basic things like corn etc) for the ever growing number of mouths of the future.

Obviously, creating a perfect world is impossible, but creating a better world is not.

[Aix]

It would take 10 billion dollars, apparently, to build a sufficient number of schools in third world countries.

[Zazubat]

It would take 10 billion dollars, apparently, to build a sufficient number of schools in third world countries.

Ouch, hey, why don't we just destroy Africa with a giant bomb? Then we can all be happy!

 

Seriously though, that's a lot of money.

[Aix]

Ouch, hey, why don't we just destroy Africa with a giant bomb? Then we can all be happy!

 

Seriously though, that's a lot of money.

America spends 11 billion on ice cream in a year.

 

Also, the richest people in the world each have around 50 billion.

[Lt. Colonel Remo]

I thought, people back in the day were many less technologically advanced than us today, but were they dumber then us? I mean, many today do really really dumb shit, and many don't care about education. While we're flying to space and creating robots that look and act like humans, we also have TV shows such as Jersey Shore which just makes me want to question what kind of a world I live in. And wars are everywhere. And I mean, there's no point in history where there isn't a war going on (no an actual fact, but probably 80 % true), but it seems crazy right now, hearing about the dying soldiers coming back to their homeland all the time. We try to make better, and Africa wouldn't be the same 500 years ago as it is now, and people try to help those in need, though with all these economical and fuel and food problems, who knows how long something like this can last. Can we survive for much longer if nobody is willing to do something about it? Of course it sounds crazy, but we live in a world that's changing every second, new people being born and dying, technology changing. A world I want to live in is a world is a world where these problems aren't a thing. But that world is not going to be in my lifetime or yours, but for future generations, we have to take care of them.

I think the things you mentioned only happen "more often" because we have technology to get to more people, thereby getting us more information

 

I feel like its less of us as a species getting dumber and more of us getting to know ourselves better (for better or for worse)

[Zazubat]

America spends 11 billion on ice cream in a year.

 

Also, the richest people in the world each have around 50 billion.

Well WTF rich people, you can spare a little, I mean if you got more than 10 B you probably have enough to live the rest of your live peacefully, and if you gave some money people would probably like you a lot more. But remember Zazu, this is the real world we live in, a world where people suck.

 

[quote name="Admiral Remo" post="6158654" timestamp="1362780757"]
I think the things you mentioned only happen "more often" because we have technology to get to more people, thereby getting us more information
 
I feel like its less of us as a species getting dumber and more of us getting to know ourselves better (for better or for worse)
[/quote]

Explain yourself, what do you mean by getting to know ourselves better? You mean by the means of psychology and modern technology?

[Volcanism]

OP shows that we are getting dumber. No offence but those seem like average thoughts of an average 16 year old boy. People watching Jersey Shore is no sign of the populations intelligence. Firstly, the population falls on a scale. Some are smart and others aren't. Secondly, I'm pretty smart but I enjoy JS. It's a fun way to relieve some stress and just relax. War isn't a factor in the slightest. Stupid people don't cause wars and frankly the wars going on right now are pathetic. There are a few deaths a week in them. Whatever. Here's what I do know. The amount of knowledge the human race as a whole has is rapidly growing. Science is moving forward quick. As a whole we are smarter than ever. Here is what I do know: we do have worse memories. Because of phones and paper we no longer need to memorize as much. Back in the first millennia people would memorize entire epics! Intelligence is a tough concept to discuss. I took a first year psychology course with a section on it and I'm still in the dark.

[Northern Sage]

Ouch, hey, why don't we just destroy Africa with a giant bomb? Then we can all be happy!

 

Seriously though, that's a lot of money.

So shall we determine that people are not worth living because of their geographical position? The same people who are currently working up their education levels and getting noble prizes, making new important discoveries just like the rest of the world?

Moreover, would it be worth it? Would the fallout from such a bomb even make this planet hospitable anymore?

To a degree, I would say that this world with insane access might be slowing us down. But what about all the information about diseases, technology, etc, that spreads around with this globalization?

[Zazubat]

So shall we determine that people are not worth living because of their geographical position? The same people who are currently working up their education levels and getting noble prizes, making new important discoveries just like the rest of the world?
Moreover, would it be worth it? Would the fallout from such a bomb even make this planet hospitable anymore?
To a degree, I would say that this world with insane access might be slowing us down. But what about all the information about diseases, technology, etc, that spreads around with this globalization?

I seriously hope you're saying this knowing it was a joke (an extreamly offensive joke, but a joke nonetheless)

[Lt. Colonel Remo]

 

 

Explain yourself, what do you mean by getting to know ourselves better? You mean by the means of psychology and modern technology?

I mean that we have more access to the stupid people willing to do stupid things to make other people laugh

 

And we have a mass media outlets that would've been unheard of

 

You mentioned how warfare is at an all time high, but I'm certain that the warfare of 200 years ago would've been much worse considering that soldiers were basically pieces in high-stakes games for "pride" and "national hono(u)r"

 

Another example is the Vietnam War, where the media tends to get the blamed for the loss of the war effort by showing the gore of war, something not many people got to see in the Korean or any of the world wars.

 

This increase in the public getting direct knowledge of everything allows us to see the most of the very worst and the most of the very best

[Zazubat]

I mean that we have more access to the stupid people willing to do stupid things to make other people laugh
 
And we have a mass media outlets that would've been unheard of
 
You mentioned how warfare is at an all time high, but I'm certain that the warfare of 200 years ago would've been much worse considering that soldiers were basically pieces in high-stakes games for "pride" and "national hono(u)r"
 
Another example is the Vietnam War, where the media tends to get the blamed for the loss of the war effort by showing the gore of war, something not many people got to see in the Korean or any of the world wars.
 
This increase in the public getting direct knowledge of everything allows us to see the most of the very worst and the most of the very best

We're kind of stering the main topic at hand a litte off here, but your point made me think a little ("that's something new!" Ugh assholes). By allowing people to know what's going on, does that increase their awareness of the world and how to change it? Media tends to not show the exact truth, in fear of people getting upset, and censoring and such, but should they? A realistic world is a world worth living in in comparison to a world where the media controls us. I'm sure there's something in a book or movie about this, I can't be the only one thinking that.

[Darth Revan of the Sith]

[spoiler=The Smart Guys: A Play by Duke Nukem]

Stupid Person: DUDE! I DON'T NEED GUD GRAMAR MAN!

Smart Person: Oh God your grammar.

Average Complainer: Man, society nowadays sucks. Look how stupid we are!

Smart: Hey wait a minute... There are just amount of smart guys as there are idiots. The idiots are just louder and more obnoxious than us smart peopl-

Average: I mean seriously! How could someone be so stupid. I hate this generation and all these stupid people. We just keep getting dumber and dumber as technology grows!

Smart: Well actually many on the internet have sufficient intelligence to-

Average: Wow, this generation sucks...

Smart: Hey are you even listening to m-

Average: I wish I lived back in a time where people appreciated sh*t!

Smart Aw come on ma-

Average: Ridiculous...[/spoiler]

[Silverweed91]

Some say the total amount of smartness on Earth remains constant through time...the amount of people does not, though. So draw your conclusion :D

[Zazubat]

Some say the total amount of smartness on Earth remains constant through time...the amount of people does not, though. So draw your conclusion :D

Sounds like quote of some kind, I would have loved to say that, cause it's true in some cases, though with technology it's obviously not.

[ihop]

It would take 10 billion dollars, apparently, to build a sufficient number of schools in third world countries.

 

This honestly isn't that much if you think about what it'd create.

[Βyakuya]

The reason for the lasting conflict in countries, including corrupt governments, poverty, malnutrition, war, and social instability is a difficulty to govern a very large and diverse amount of people who have differing attitudes. Not everyone will get what they want, and there will always be a cycle of conflict once "peace" has even been established for a mere few days. As society evolves, we find ourselves attuned to new styles, new technologies, and other things that catch our interest. Scientifically, increase in better lives and opportunities does increase intelligence every year (The Flynn Effect). However, it is not like just because there's a group of people who do these things makes us all look dumb. People are getting more relaxed with new technology, thus some have low incentives and do not learn about consequences, while there are others in other countries who are living the opposite, who can be racially viewed as if, "I don't want to live on this planet anymore". Even before the Industrial Revolution, there was always an insatiable amount of conflict and low compromise. So basically, though technically we are getting more smarter, but it depends on the lives and social influences we obtain through our cultures and environments. And we can't just change everything at once to make things right. There will always be people who will be antisocial, or have a low threshold of understanding anything important. We're always going to be stuck between highs and lows.

[Cin]

I've always thought mankind wasn't as intelligent as other animals. What other animals has decided to wipe out natural selection/survival of the fittest for them and anything else they've decided to 'own'. Probably why I've grown fed up of Aquariums.

 

Mankind used to fight all the time....now we get more people involved because we're more civilized and we have more ways to kill each other. So disputes become out of controlled and for more and more superficial reasons. Although alot of time it does seem to be about resources, resources those that left Africa when mankind started never needed.

 

Maybe part of me thinks I read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy far too many times.

[ListenToLife]

I think someone's already mentioned the Flynn effect; IQ is actually increasing, so by all technicalities we are becoming more 'intelligent'. But someone's also mentioned the fact that our Memories are getting worse as we rely more on computing, then we've got the common sense being kicked about - we fight over stupid things and dont think about our actions as much. But the thing that I dont like most is the fact that, in the western world, at any rate, things like maths are decreasing. 15% of UK teens study maths at Post-16 education. Over 80% of Japanese teens study it. It's rather shameful, to be honest.

 

I think it's less Intelligence though, and more Motivation. We can already live comfortably with little effort. Why do we need to try to do anything else? Because we've got this wealthy, advanced society, it pretty much runs itself. So people go with the 'easier', more creative routes. Like music, art, Drama or similar things. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing - I struggled to decided between Chemistry and Music at A-level - but it does seem to be almost 'too' common.

[Lt. Colonel Remo]

I think someone's already mentioned the Flynn effect;

In like Flynn, right?

 

;_; I'll take my off-topic warn now

[Simping For Hina]

We're going the wrong way.
In short, yes.

Only 55% of the US, of studied testing, know that the Sun is a Star.

[Resident Fascist]

Only 55% of the US, of studied testing, know that the Sun is a Star.

 

If the sun ISN'T a star, what IS it?

 

...That is, unbelievable.