Idiocracy, Nazism, and Genetic Engineering

[sourboy]

Most of us have seen the movie, Idiocracy. For those who haven't, it basically exploits the thought "what if only stupid people are breeding?" in a comedic way. Sadly, it's a good question. I know many idiots who have multiple kids and little means to support or educate them. I know many intelligent, some brilliant, individuals who swear to never have children. Over time, this certainly doesn't encourage a bright future for mankind, but it certainly doesn't mean a step backward in the evolutionary chain -- rather a slower acceleration down the road of evolution.

That said, obviously it's a thought that's crossed many people's minds, even in the past. I do not condone Hitler's actions (or the likes), systematically killing off people dubbed "lesser" for whatever reasons -- however, was there some wisdom in his madness? Are Germans intelligent due to stereotype, or did maybe the drive to be "ideal" lead them more efficiently towards a wiser culture?

Surely, in future generations, we as humans will conquer the genetic manipulation required to prevent disease, deformaties, or other potential health or development issues so that all people can live and grow into a higher evolved version of ourselves -- quicker.

Thoughts on what I've said, or what will happen in the future, in terms of our biological evolution?

 

[warpus]

Thoughts on what I've said, or what will happen in the future, in terms of our biological evolution?

I predict the evolution of a bacon-processing organ.

 

[sourboy]

I predict the evolution of a bacon-processing organ.

That's your second post in the last half hour about bacon -- you hungry or something?

 

[bhsup]

There was an article about this recently in either Newsweek or US News and World Report. It's actually the opposite. We're evolving and adapting as a species faster and faster, better preparing us for the future.

 

[El_Machinae]

It may look like we're evolving away from 'intelligence', but (if anything) we're evolving away from the urge to not have children. And we've always been evolving that way, because we're the product of animals who didn't resist the urge to procreate.

Additionally, we're providing more and more ways in which a 'type' of intelligence can thrive. No matter which way you are handy, chances are you can make enough to survive and have kids.

 

[sourboy]

It may look like we're evolving away from 'intelligence', but (if anything) we're evolving away from the urge to not have children. And we've always been evolving that way, because we're the product of animals who didn't resist the urge to procreate.

Additionally, we're providing more and more ways in which a 'type' of intelligence can thrive. No matter which way you are handy, chances are you can make enough to survive and have kids.

And I agree, mankind as a whole is procreating more... but is it not bad that those who can barely get by are the one's having the children, rather than those who easily get by and are educated and well manored, etc, who can better raise children?

 

[Mise]

Is intelligence hereditary? I know doctors with kids that are two slices short of a sandwich, and I know super-geniuses with parents who get lost in revolving doors. I find it hard to believe that the hereditary component in intelligence is really that strong.

 

[El_Machinae]

And I agree, mankind as a whole is procreating more... but is it not bad that those who can barely get by are the one's having the children, rather than those who easily get by and are educated and well manored, etc, who can better raise children?

A pissload of intelligence is due to environment, and it's cyclical and self-reinforcing. A smart person doesn't need to have children in order to create intelligent children, they just need to interact with the smart kids.

On the whole, our economies are designed such that you need a certain level of wealth in order to continue propagation. But that's only a specific kind of intelligence.

 

[Masquerouge]

Are Germans intelligent due to stereotype, or did maybe the drive to be "ideal" lead them more efficiently towards a wiser culture?[/quote]

I'm pretty confident that Hitler's policies have not been able to shape Germans to the point that they became more intelligent than the average. So I'd say, "stereotype".

Surely, in future generations, we as humans will conquer the genetic manipulation required to prevent disease, deformaties, or other potential health or development issues so that all people can live and grow into a higher evolved version of ourselves -- quicker.

Thoughts on what I've said, or what will happen in the future, in terms of our biological evolution?

Well I had a nice thread here about that, and about how eugenics is now a loaded word that will make people go ballistic.
My opinion is that from a strictly physical point of view eugenics is already taking place anyway, and will be inevitable in the next decades. When you have the means to prevent people being born with genetic/hereditary disease, and make sure every fetus is healthy, it's criminal to not do so. And just to confirm one more time: I'm not saying kill all people with Down's syndrome, I'm saying if you have the ability to detect it and fix it, do it.

Now let's wait for the "slippery slope, you nazi!" posts

 

[Kozmos]

We should start watering plants with Gatorade. It's got electrolytes! It's what plants crave!

 

[ArneHD]

There was an article about this recently in either Newsweek or US News and World Report. It's actually the opposite. We're evolving and adapting as a species faster and faster, better preparing us for the future.

Actually, larger populations evolve slower than small ones, thus, with our wast population, we shouldn't evolve too much at all.

 

[bhsup]

Actually, larger populations evolve slower than small ones, thus, with our wast population, we shouldn't evolve too much at all.

just saying what the article said.

 

[ArneHD]

just saying what the article said.

Is it available on line? Because, although I am not a Biologist, my understanding is that the smaller the population is, the faster it evolves.

 

[Phlegmak]

Most of us have seen the movie, Idiocracy. For those who haven't, it basically exploits the thought "what if only stupid people are breeding?" in a comedic way. Sadly, it's a good question. I know many idiots who have multiple kids and little means to support or educate them. I know many intelligent, some brilliant, individuals who swear to never have children. Over time, this certainly doesn't encourage a bright future for mankind, but it certainly doesn't mean a step backward in the evolutionary chain -- rather a slower acceleration down the road of evolution.

That said, obviously it's a thought that's crossed many people's minds, even in the past. I do not condone Hitler's actions (or the likes), systematically killing off people dubbed "lesser" for whatever reasons -- however, was there some wisdom in his madness? Are Germans intelligent due to stereotype, or did maybe the drive to be "ideal" lead them more efficiently towards a wiser culture?

Surely, in future generations, we as humans will conquer the genetic manipulation required to prevent disease, deformaties, or other potential health or development issues so that all people can live and grow into a higher evolved version of ourselves -- quicker.

Thoughts on what I've said, or what will happen in the future, in terms of our biological evolution?

According to Michael Shermer, the human species is getting smarter over time, not dumber. And I'm talking about recent humans, such as 20th and 21st century humans. I don't know who to believe.

 

[Grisu]

According to Michael Shermer, the human species is getting smarter over time, not dumber. And I'm talking about recent humans, such as 20th and 21st century humans. I don't know who to believe.

the question, of course, is if we truly are getting smarter or if it just seems that way due to universal education.

 

[DNK]

And I agree, mankind as a whole is procreating more... but is it not bad that those who can barely get by are the one's having the children, rather than those who easily get by and are educated and well manored, etc, who can better raise children?

What do manners have to do with anything? By all means, I'd say the more affluent, the less polite, until you hit the "rich" mark. I live in a town of "haves" and they're almost all annoying and rude people.

According to Michael Shermer, the human species is getting smarter over time, not dumber. And I'm talking about recent humans, such as 20th and 21st century humans. I don't know who to believe.

Does that have anything to do with evolution or is it due to cultural and nutritional issues?

I think a lot of these issues will be answered more fully once epigenetics gets matured. The idea there is basically you can inherit "learned" genetics. So, someone that was raised in a way that activated more "smart" genes (or whatever "positive" genes you're discussing) and deactivated the negative ones, would then possibly raise children with a similar de/activation scheme. That's not technically evolution, but it could look like evolution, and it probably in some respects does have an effect on the underlying aggregate DNA evolution, although science isn't there yet from what I know. It'd be interesting to see if epigenetics impacted which genes were selected in gametes. I'm not aware of any biological mechanism that could do that, but it would probably make evolutionary sense if such a mechanism existed.

 

[pau17]

Are Germans intelligent due to stereotype, or did maybe the drive to be "ideal" lead them more efficiently towards a wiser culture?

Many things at play here. First of all, being a central European country with many neighbors, Germans have had a lot of contact with other cultures. In Europe, a relatively large percentage of the population is bi- or multilingual, and while this won't help you be better at math or computer programming, the constant exchange of people and ideas creates a sense of worldiness or awareness that is a sort of intelligence in and of itself. Also, the Germans or western Europeans that Americans commonly interact with are ones with resources or intelligence to be able to travel; they are often students or professionals working in the US. The smart-German stereotype probably has its roots in all the German scientists that came over to the US to work in the rocket program after World War Two as well.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Evolution isn't working properly. We have rednecks with a dozen kids and proffesors with none. The government needs to step in and make sure that the breading is done in a way that benifits the people. We could get rid of genetic dissorders, we could make people smarter. We could make people less likly to use dope. We could make humanity much better in just a few generations.

 

[cubsfan6506]

Most of us have seen the movie, Idiocracy. For those who haven't, it basically exploits the thought "what if only stupid people are breeding?" in a comedic way. Sadly, it's a good question. I know many idiots who have multiple kids and little means to support or educate them. I know many intelligent, some brilliant, individuals who swear to never have children. Over time, this certainly doesn't encourage a bright future for mankind, but it certainly doesn't mean a step backward in the evolutionary chain -- rather a slower acceleration down the road of evolution.

That said, obviously it's a thought that's crossed many people's minds, even in the past. I do not condone Hitler's actions (or the likes), systematically killing off people dubbed "lesser" for whatever reasons -- however, was there some wisdom in his madness? Are Germans intelligent due to stereotype, or did maybe the drive to be "ideal" lead them more efficiently towards a wiser culture?

Surely, in future generations, we as humans will conquer the genetic manipulation required to prevent disease, deformaties, or other potential health or development issues so that all people can live and grow into a higher evolved version of ourselves -- quicker.

Thoughts on what I've said, or what will happen in the future, in terms of our biological evolution?

It should be noted that Jews are on average smarter then the average man do to a population bottleneck in the middle ages.

 

[cubsfan6506]

Evolution isn't working properly. We have rednecks with a dozen kids and proffesors with none. The government needs to step in and make sure that the breading is done in a way that benifits the people. We could get rid of genetic dissorders, we could make people smarter. We could make people less likly to use dope. We could make humanity much better in just a few generations.

Great so you agree to have none?