The weak and stupid survive

[Caligastia]

It used to be only the strong.

How are we going to replace natural selection? It got us where we are today.

I think when we understand the human genome we will be able to get back on the evolutionary road instead of the devolutionary road.

I dont mean we should go back to the way things were before civilization, I want us to look to the future and see what we can do to improve ourselves.

 

[HisMajestyBOB]

Stupid people are taking over the world! Haven't you noticed? They plan to weaken our will by using mindless plotless movies, awful TV and countless pop-up ads.
I'm busy stocking my bomb-shelter with Shakespeare and Newton as we speak/type

 

[Simon Darkshade]

It has been an increasing feature of modern society that the weak, and those who propagate weak opinions have been able to thrive and even control society to some extent. What can be done to change this state of affairs is another thing. In a democracy, the majority rules.

 

[polymath]

I agree, I think we are perverting the course of nature with our fancy reduced infant mortality etc. etc. We need to pervert it back the other way again.
Reduce the world's population by at least half would be a good start. Regulation of birth rate is one way to do this, and I think it should be done as soon as possible, not just ignore it 'til it's too late. I'd do it if I was running things. I think the Chinese have the right idea, then again when you have to manage a population of a billion you tend to spot these things earlier than most. We should follow their lead.

 

[knowltok3]

You're all looking at this from the improper long term perspective. Sure, when the aliens come they will wipe us out, but in the meantime, isn't it great to be a smart person in a sea of stupidity? You don't have to work as hard, it is very easy to build up your own self esteem merely by observing populare culture. I can do it any time I turn on the TV. When I, a non-lawyer figure out the legal issue presented in a legal drama before the lawyers it tells me that the writers estimate the average intelligence of the audience below mine. What a good feeling.

As long as society provides a situation in which idiots can provide for themselves and have a relatively comfortable existance, I know I am set. I can either achieve more or work less. I generally choose a mix between the two. Of course fortune comes into play, but I'll take my chances with that.

 

[VoodooAce]

Lol.

Imagine if they cure cancer!! I mean, I don't want to die of cancer. I don't want polio, or any kind of pox. I don't want the plague.

But the more diseases we cure, the longer we live, the harder we are making things on future generations. It is a fact that it will be a problem....eventually. Population projections, even for the middle of this century, can be staggering.

Anybody see Logan's Run?

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Well at least the Strong and smart will have a target rich environment, for explotation and seduction.

 

[knowltok3]

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
Well at least the Strong and smart will have a target rich environment, for explotation and seduction.

My point exactly. If you are smart, there isn't anything to worry about, and the stupid haven't figured it out yet, and probably won't. Even if they do, we can act stupid and join in their indignation. We can probably stage it so that we frame some other stupid people who are slow on the uptake to take the fall. We don't have to worry about the reverse happening because it is impossible to pretend to be smart if you are not.

 

[VoodooAce]

Lol. Too much.

Eventually, natural selection will kick in. We'll reach a point when there's not enough of SOMETHING to go around, land, food, etc...

Then you smart ones will be better able to survive, while us idiots starve.

 

[Blackadder]

Originally posted by knowltok3
You're all looking at this from the improper long term perspective. Sure, when the aliens come they will wipe us out,

Is may not be the aliens, as my biology teacher enjoys telling the class, it will be the invincible, ever-changing microbes that will wipe us out. They may be smaller than us, but look at the world of possible diseases and where they can exist!

When we talk about weak, do you mean physically? Steven Hawkings seems to have done well... Do you want to change that?

I agree with what has been said about the stupid , in the sense that they make smart people or average intelligence people feel smarter , but surely it fills you up with anger that such a majority (I am not calling everyone an idiot, just most ) can so easily influence politics? (Okay most won't vote, not even the smart ones, but someone must). Not that most politicians are different, mind you

 

[amadeus]

This is why I oppose socialism and communism in all of their forms -- they weaken the strong, stengthen the (morally, intellectually) weak, and give them greater influence than the few that have earned what they have.

 

[Sixchan]

But then, so does democracy.

Obvously, Fascism (in its non racist form) is the answer then?

 

[Becka]

Originally posted by polymath
I'd do it if I was running things. I think the Chinese have the right idea, then again when you have to manage a population of a billion you tend to spot these things earlier than most. We should follow their lead.

You are joking...right?

 

[Maj]

This is why I oppose socialism and communism in all of their forms -- they weaken the strong, stengthen the (morally, intellectually) weak, and give them greater influence than the few that have earned what they have.

So communism and socialism weaken the strong (the minority) yet at the same time strengthen the moral bounds and intellectual capacity of the weak (majority) meaning a more intelligent, rational, moral and egalitarian society?

As for "earning what they have", you ignore the fact that the socioeconomic environment into which one enters life covers a very wide spectrum. Attaining a social position for one person may be far easier than for another person. Do you think you'd be at the level of comfort and success you're at now had you been born and raised in a slum overlooking Rio de Janerio? Also, those who 'earn' their positions are not necessarily 'fit for the job' and may only give a semblence of competence and ability. Don't be fooled into thinking that simply because someone is raised to a position of higher authority and power that they are there because their goals for achieving societal improvement were number one on the agenda.

And who is to say that the "strong" are a benevolent groups whose intentions focus around the betterment of the "weak"? Democracy is supposed to be a system of government wherein the weak are given the opportunity to select their leaders and have some power in the decision making that affects their lives.

On a side note, I too am opposed to communism, however, for different reasons. As for socialism, well, I'd have to know what your definition of it is before I gave you my stance on that ideology.

- Maj

 

[amadeus]

Originally posted by Maj
So communism and socialism weaken the strong (the minority) yet at the same time strengthen the moral bounds and intellectual capacity of the weak (majority) meaning a more intelligent, rational, moral and egalitarian society?

"You cannot strengthen the weak, by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the wage earner, by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor, by destroying the rich.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."

-President Abraham Lincoln

As for "earning what they have", you ignore the fact that the socioeconomic environment into which one enters life covers a very wide spectrum. Attaining a social position for one person may be far easier than for another person.

Natural selection, pal. I'm no football player, but I'm good with computers. I can't get dates, but I can get a high-paying job.

Do you think you'd be at the level of comfort and success you're at now had you been born and raised in a slum overlooking Rio de Janerio?

Yes, because I have the will to overcome any adversity. Being born in North America says nothing about how you will do in the future.

Also, those who 'earn' their positions are not necessarily 'fit for the job' and may only give a semblence of competence and ability. Don't be fooled into thinking that simply because someone is raised to a position of higher authority and power that they are there because their goals for achieving societal improvement were number one on the agenda.

Fact is, people look out for themselves -- and that's the way it should be. I don't want to be forced into being "nice" to other people. I'll do it when I damn well please.

And who is to say that the "strong" are a benevolent groups whose intentions focus around the betterment of the "weak"? Democracy is supposed to be a system of government wherein the weak are given the opportunity to select their leaders and have some power in the decision making that affects their lives.

Democracy strengthens the strong, and neutralizes the weak. Do you really think people that have a lower mental capacity, for example, a cocaine dealer, really cares or possesses the capacity to comprehend political and socio-economic issues? Not likely.

On a side note, I too am opposed to communism, however, for different reasons. As for socialism, well, I'd have to know what your definition of it is before I gave you my stance on that ideology.

Having the government force you into serving the nation, in terms of wealth -- where you are taxed based on how much you take in for income (Finnish speeding tickets of $100,000+ anyone?)

 

[Simon Darkshade]

"Obvously, Fascism (in its non racist form) is the answer then?"

Excellent. I'll start growing the moustache then.

 

[Caligastia]

The best form of government is benevolent dictatorship.

The hard part is getting them to be benevolent.

 

[Morgasshk]

Well, sorry guys but I didn't read everything you wrote... my eyes are sore!

But all you have to remember, The stupid people don't know that they are stupid and they can surprise you... It's happened to me before and sometime they aint as dumb as you think they are... and they will know about you becasue we don't act stupid, we act on the level we are...

Beware the dormant ones!

But usually... They just stoopid...



Morgasshk.


(Look, I know I don't give any decent input... Just leave it at that... )

 

[amadeus]

The optimal government is to break up a nation into city-states, then have each of the states practice a certain government. All citizens that wish to follow a certain governmental style, move to that city-state. All of the city-states would be responsible for paying the administration for defense -- or you will be expelled from the administrative district.

Let's say you break up -- Minnesota, United States

Minneapolis (pop. 500k) is turned into a "Conservative" district
St. Paul (pop 350k) is turned into a "Liberal" district
Duluth (pop 90k) is turned into the "Communal" district
St. Cloud (pop 50k) is turned into the "Libertarian" district.

A collective sales tax of %1 is set on all city-states, as they must provide for the administratives' defense. Decisions on defense are made up staff of representatives from certain districts, selected by the governor of the city-state.

What do you think?

 

[damunzy]

Caligastia, I have asked my wife the same question. I was of the thought that keeping the weak around only brings down the strong. Then I got a scary feeling, what if I am the weak and I just don't know it. There are many different ways at looking whether a person is weak or strong. A good example is my last job. One of the guys I worked with was in amazing physical shape. He had arms as big as legs and was cut! He had asthma but that isn't what made him weak in my mind. What made him weak was his lack of temper control (which he was getting better at) and his lack of intelligence (which never improved). Unfortunately some people in the Army place physical ability in a higher category than intelligence (meaning if you are in good shape but as dumb as a rock but you can do more pushups than the smart man that is in decent shape, then you are a better soldier, so amgine how this physical stud was always praised even though he couldn't do his job -computers- to save anyone's life). I am not speaking from anger directed towards this guy as I was higher in rank but I am angry at how people can slip thru the cracks and get thru loopholes.


Sounds good in theory rmsharpe, just like the 7 minute abs.

(for those of you that didn't get the joke, I was talking in reference to the movie "There's Something About Mary" and in a broader sense talking about advertisers that say their's is the best product on the market but then they are going to say that since it benefits them to sell a lot of products.)