What's the intelligence level on the OT forum?

[Perfection]

IPerfection, aren't stupid, just wrong.

Thanks



It occurs to me though that the average CFC poster might be a complete dumbass and we wouldn't realize it.

Consider the following situation:
You read an OT thread of 20 posts each by a different poster. 19 of the posts are lame forgetable garbage that you'll never remember. One of them however was written by Perfection, and you read it and you burst out loud luaghing or your mind is shattered by its insightfulness. When you look back on your OT experience you find that it was intellectually fufilling and that the people were interesting and insightful. It wasn't that the people were particularly insightful it's just that there was enough posts that one of them happened to be good.

Here's an interesting experiment, take the top 50 posters in any letter of the alphabet, how many of those posters truely dazzle you with thier intellect? You'd be surprised how small it is!

 

[MjM]

It's you're not your, idiot .

Har Har. Give this man a cookie!

 

[Taliesin]

Above average. I agree with Perfection that most of the time, most of us don't betray any particularly high intelligence. However, the incidence of people who are quite clearly and consistently bright, well-read, and civilised is considerably higher than in most general social groups, and OT also sees a higher frequency of people taking the time to pursue reasoned debate. So, basically, the majority are average or just above it, but the forum is top-heavy with exceptional individuals who bring the rating up.

 

[superisis]

It occurs to me though that the average CFC poster might be a complete dumbass and we wouldn't realize it.

Consider the following situation:
You read an OT thread of 20 posts each by a different poster. 19 of the posts are lame forgetable garbage that you'll never remember. One of them however was written by Perfection, and you read it and you burst out loud luaghing or your mind is shattered by its insightfulness. When you look back on your OT experience you find that it was intellectually fufilling and that the people were interesting and insightful. It wasn't that the people were particularly insightful it's just that there was enough posts that one of them happened to be good.

Here's an interesting experiment, take the top 50 posters in any letter of the alphabet, how many of those posters truely dazzle you with thier intellect? You'd be surprised how small it is!

But what about those truely moronic posters, I'd wager that one remembers those more than the intelligent or average ones, so in reality it cancels out.

 

[Elrohir]

Thanks

Welcome.

You make a good point. And yes, I think there probably is a certain group, perhaps 20-25 posters, who are more intelligent and whose posts are more worthwhile than others. Even so, I think the average poster here really is more intelligent than the average user of the internet, or at least acts like it. It's unbelievable how bad the grammar and spelling are on some forums.

 

[Perfection]

But what about those truely moronic posters, I'd wager that one remembers those more than the intelligent or average ones, so in reality it cancels out.

I don't remember idiots that much, however it could be different for different people.

Even so, I think the average poster here really is more intelligent than the average user of the internet, or at least acts like it. It's unbelievable how bad the grammar and spelling are on some forums.

Could this possibly be an artifact of the average OTer being older than your typical forum user?

 

[Elrohir]

Could this possibly be an artifact of the average OTer being older than your typical forum user?

Perhaps so. What is the age of the average CFC OT member? There was a poll awhile back, but I don't remember the results.

 

[Meleager]

Could this possibly be an artifact of the average OTer being older than your typical forum user?

Most likely it is just because it is a Civ fan site. Offcourse that causes people to be older so it could be a bit hard to test. Are Civ fans simply smarter? Or are older people simply smarter?

When it comes to simple facts and figures I generally find that younger people, still studding that type of stuff are smarter. Older people tend to be wiser and more mature. But we're not asking about wisdom or maturity, but about intelligence.

So I guess it depends on how you define intelligence.

 

[Ramius75]

i voted "above average". IMHO, the posters of OT are defintely more curious and inquisitive compare to the average person walking in the street or working in factory. most are infact, should be doing very well and comes from well to do family, hence having the time and internet access to particpate in the forums.

The topics addressed and discussed in the forum are also more diverse comparing to some other forums i frequent. I dont get to argue or read much about quantum physis in other forum.

 

[Perfection]

Perhaps so. What is the age of the average CFC OT member? There was a poll awhile back, but I don't remember the results.

Well, you can't just go by the polls because they don't measure how prolific the posters are. Most younger posters here don't last that long. They usually come and go quite quickly. There will always be quite a few 13 and 14 year old lurkers that post a few times in OT (including the poll) and scram. However if we are to look at the prolific posters we see a very different picture If you look at the first page of the 30 most prolific CFC members you'll find none under 17 (noncon and Cgannon being the 17 year olds) Out of the top 60 there are two 17 year olds and one 15 year old (Tomoyo) and noone younger. The biggest regular OTers are almost exclusively in thier late teens or older.

 

[Elrohir]

Interesting. (I'm way back on Page 9, I thought I would at least be in the top 90, but apparently not) I would say it's probably a combination of the two; it's mostly intelligent people who are attracted to a Civ forum, and it's mostly older people, who can type and argue better, who stick around for a long time, especially in CFC OT.

 

[kingjoshi]

This is what you call groupthink...

 

[superisis]

or inflated ego...

 

[Perfection]

Interesting. (I'm way back on Page 9, I thought I would at least be in the top 90, but apparently not) I would say it's probably a combination of the two; it's mostly intelligent people who are attracted to a Civ forum, and it's mostly older people, who can type and argue better, who stick around for a long time, especially in CFC OT.

I dunno, it seems like people are smarter, but I don't think it's been conclusively demonstrated.

This is what you call groupthink...

How so?

or inflated ego...

How so?

 

[The Yankee]

Interesting. (I'm way back on Page 9, I thought I would at least be in the top 90, but apparently not) I would say it's probably a combination of the two; it's mostly intelligent people who are attracted to a Civ forum, and it's mostly older people, who can type and argue better, who stick around for a long time, especially in CFC OT.

Or they're more prolific in other forums, you'd have to find who is definitely an OTer in the list.

Though, I'd agree...even on the game, you're likely to find an older (if slightly) crowd.

 

[Steph]

Really? I would say average.
However, if we look at thread like "what is my IQ", with the number of people with a declared IQ close to 200, we are supposed to be on average VERY smart...
Personally, I think the people who are lured to believed they are extreamly smart because they get an IQ of 180 in an osbcure on line test, or worse who pretend they have a high IQ when they know it's far below, are pulling the average to the bottom...

 

[Grohan]

Slightly above average but not much so I voted for average.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

'Smart' is subjective and I am loathe to say that anyone is an idiot since most people have skills that I don't. I can sue the s*** out of someone for you but seriously I can't fuse a plug. I impressed myself the other day by putting a flatpack set of bedroom furniture up without help.

I'd say most people on here were smart, especially those for whom English isn't their first language. I'm constantly impressed with those who can formulate the most articulate of posts in a language that most kidz in Ingerland don't no ow 2 use.

 

[Mise]

Well, you can't just go by the polls because they don't measure how prolific the posters are. Most younger posters here don't last that long. They usually come and go quite quickly. There will always be quite a few 13 and 14 year old lurkers that post a few times in OT (including the poll) and scram. However if we are to look at the prolific posters we see a very different picture If you look at the first page of the 30 most prolific CFC members you'll find none under 17 (noncon and Cgannon being the 17 year olds) Out of the top 60 there are two 17 year olds and one 15 year old (Tomoyo) and noone younger. The biggest regular OTers are almost exclusively in thier late teens or older.

Except they were just as prolific and just as intelligent as they were two years ago. Then there's WillJ and stratego - I seem to recall them being ~16 yrs old when I joined, though I heard stratego was in college or something, so maybe I'm wrong...

 

[Grisu]

Really? I would say average.
However, if we look at thread like "what is my IQ", with the number of people with a declared IQ close to 200, we are supposed to be on average VERY smart...

people who believe they are really smart just because the score very high on an IQ test aren't really smart in my book......

anyway, I'd say the intelligence of the average poster here is above average, and his education is usally is even further above average.