Posted on 05/14/2014 10:22:17 AM PDT by dsc
Forget being smarter than a fifth-grader. Most Americans think they’re smarter than everyone else in the country.
Fifty-five percent of Americans think that they are smarter than the average American, according to a new survey by YouGov, a research organization that uses online polling. In other words, as YouGov cleverly points out, the average American thinks that he or she is smarter than the average American.
A humble 34 percent of citizens say they are about as smart as everyone else, while a dispirited 4 percent say they are less intelligent than most people.
Men (24 percent) are more likely than women (15 percent) to say they are “much more intelligent” than the average American. White people are more likely to say the same than Hispanic and black people.
So, this many smart people must mean that, on the whole, the United States ranks pretty high in intelligence, right?
Not quite. According to the survey, just 44 percent of Americans say that Americans are “averagely intelligent.” People who make less than $40,000 a year are much more likely to say that their fellow Americans are intelligent, while those who make more than $100,000 are far more likely to say that Americans are unintelligent.
The results are not surprising. Western cultures have a habit of inflating their self-worth, past research has shown. The most competent individuals also tend to underestimate their ability, while incompetent people overestimate it. Not out of arrogance, but of ignorance—the worst performers often don’t get negative feedback. In this survey, 28 percent of high school graduates say they are “slightly more intelligent” than average, while just 1 percent of people with doctoral degrees say they are “much more intelligent.”
Of course, a Ph.D. doesn’t necessarily measure intelligence, nor does how much money you make. Those factors, along with gender and race, may be better indicators of humblebrag ability than brainpower.
Using 2012 Presidential election voting stats as my yardstick I’d categorize the “average” American as being intellectually deficient.I consider myself,OTOH,to be nothing more than (and nothing less than) reasonably intelligent,far from stupid *and* far from being a genius.IOW,I’m smarter than the “average” American.
For the sake of arguments I know I am smarter than half of the country who supported Bammy. Out of the other half I am smarter than half of those because they are weak-wristed, back door amnesty lovers or no stance libertarians. So the way I look at it I am in the top 25% from the start.
Usually folks who embrace truth and deal with reality are among the most intelligent.
As much as I wanted to, I didn’t use the word “stupid” in our conversation, but you posted the gist of what I told him...
He “got it” though and his attitude did change...
“Based on this study, only 5% of Americans think they’re smarter than they are. That’s actually pretty good perception.”
But only 4% say that they are less intelligent than most people.
“All in all, the results at 55% sound reasonable.”
However, only 4% said that most people are more intelligent than they.
However you figure it, the real number is 49%.
The more that I know tells me the more I don't know.
Ergo, the learning never stops.
5.56mm
“The average IQ does not equate to 50% of people above and 50% of people below.”
The median raw score of the norming sample is defined as IQ 100. Median means 50% of people above and 50% of people below.
-PJ
“And the really SMART ones stay home if the “other” Presidential candidate doesn’t agree with them on ALL TEN items on their checklist.”
Some, maybe, but I think it’s more common that a person has a line he will not cross. I will not (knowingly) vote for anyone who is not strongly opposed to baby killing. Period.
That is a hill I will die on. If the Republicans cannot produce such a candidate, they will not get my vote.
I will give them some slack on some other issues, but not that one.
If you are strongly Pro-Life, as I am, you will NOT sit home and let Hillary complete the destruction of America.
“you will NOT sit home and let Hillary complete the destruction of America.”
I will campaign against her, even as I held my nose and campaigned for Libaromnesty, despite Romneycare.
However, I am done enabling the GOPe in their suicide mission.
“Ergo, the learning never stops.”
When you get old enough, you sometimes think, “Oh, what does it matter what I take to the grave with me?”
If someone were doing original work, though, I guess that would be different.
Itelligence isn’t knowledge either. You can be intelligent but ignorant. Ignorance can be cured though, stupidity cannot.
If 9 people have $100 and a tenth has $10, the average is $91.10, and 90% have of those people have more than the average.
This strikes me as faux humility. If you've got a doctoral degree, you have good reason to think you're much more intelligent than average.
But in real life the 9 would be forced to subsidize the tenth
No question that we are being told everyone is (really, truly) equal - unless you are a white heterosexual, of course.
My point is apparently the “dumber” classes, if you will, really do think they are dumber going by these studies, so the indoctrination hasn’t totally worked. Even the dumb can’t be fooled all the time ;-)
Again, it depends on what the doctorate is. Just like any college degree. They are not all equal, that is certain.
Of course it depends, but in general if you’ve got doctorate you’re substantially smarter than the average bear.
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