General Discussion

RKP5637

(67,112 posts) Wed Jan 9, 2013, 10:37 PM Jan 2013

DU POLL: Are humans basically stupid? [View all]

What does DU think? I think so. To clarify, I'm not speaking of IQ, I'm speaking of plain stupid. Look at the world, what a fucken mess. IMO humans are just another passing species on earth.

46 votes, 1 pass \| Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	33 (72%)
	No
	7 (15%)
	Only the OP!
	1 (2%)
	I don't understand the question!
	1 (2%)
	It's too late for this, go to bed.
	1 (2%)
	Only Some.
	3 (7%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

119 replies

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Highlight:

DU POLL: Are humans basically stupid? [View all] RKP5637 Jan 2013 OP

Yes. MrSlayer Jan 2013 #1

Hell to the Motha F'n YES Mdterp01 Jan 2013 #2

I agree all the way! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #4

Haven't seen you around -- welcome to DU! pacalo Jan 2013 #17

Sounds like something from freeperland to me. marybourg Jan 2013 #102

Not sure if stupid is the best term (though I often use it!).... NRaleighLiberal Jan 2013 #3

One of my friends has always called it a failed extraterrestrial experiment. With the RKP5637 Jan 2013 #10

It is simply amazing - in my corporate life I was involved with change management, NRaleighLiberal Jan 2013 #11

Paradigm management can be very difficult in the corporate environment. I was always RKP5637 Jan 2013 #21

are you referring to gerbils? hopemountain Jan 2013 #52

The link is the message, friend: daschess1987 Jan 2013 #5

Thank you!!! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #27

It's missing a "Only Some" option. n/t ZM90 Jan 2013 #6

Yep, good point. Added it! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #13

Taken individually, we're really a pretty dumb species Warpy Jan 2013 #7

sometimes...and sometimes that group cooperates down exactly the wrong path! NRaleighLiberal Jan 2013 #12

Cooperates is a funny word for it all NoOneMan Jan 2013 #45

That happens mostly with homogenous (as in milk) groups Warpy Jan 2013 #60

The US isn't a "homogenous (as in milk) group". Our folly is well documented, however. nt Romulox Jan 2013 #87

That's because we the people are given a homogenous group Warpy Jan 2013 #92

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have largely extended the policies of George W. and Condi Romulox Jan 2013 #98

What about "mostly" didn't you understand? Warpy Jan 2013 #101

The part where it doesn't fit reality? Romulox Jan 2013 #116

You hit a key point I often think of ... that IMO too often the human species is way RKP5637 Jan 2013 #18

I disagree NoOneMan Jan 2013 #46

Hmmm ... I agree with you! It is the system that often drives this ridiculous competitiveness. n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #69

In what way, Charlie? n/t riverwalker Jan 2013 #8

Humans aren't stupid. agent46 Jan 2013 #9

You are correct. Frank Cannon Jan 2013 #86

Yes, they are another passing species. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2013 #14

Astute!!! "... in becoming the top predator on earth ..." And IMO what also leds us to, so to say, RKP5637 Jan 2013 #23

If we are devouring each other, we must be very nutritious... Agnosticsherbet Jan 2013 #112

And the host can only sustain us for so long! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #113

Too many are intellectually lazy. pacalo Jan 2013 #15

I love that little person at the desk hand waving!!! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #24

Thank you. pacalo Jan 2013 #28

He reminds me of Arnold Horseshack. Marie Marie Jan 2013 #38

Yep! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #40

"A person is smart…" MrScorpio Jan 2013 #16

Well said! Take a look at #22. Increasing "N" does not mean a bunch of smarts! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #30

Yep Kalidurga Jan 2013 #19

It's really really mind boggling when one thinks about it ... We are in a finite space. We are RKP5637 Jan 2013 #25

The average person is... cpwm17 Jan 2013 #20

Organizations are even stupider - Group IQ = 100 / log(N) for N>10. FarCenter Jan 2013 #22

Excellent! Thank you! Larger does not mean better! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #26

No, but we have some serious limitations. nt Deep13 Jan 2013 #29

Call me crazy... Llewlladdwr Jan 2013 #31

I agree NoOneMan Jan 2013 #32

just lazy Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #33

Humans are plenty smart. Civilizations are stupid. NoOneMan Jan 2013 #34

Yes indeedy. Llewlladdwr Jan 2013 #35

No, I did one for you! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #37

Thank you very much! Llewlladdwr Jan 2013 #39

All stupid, yes NoOneMan Jan 2013 #41

Sweet, a luddite! Llewlladdwr Jan 2013 #42

The Luddites were fighting for their jobs NoOneMan Jan 2013 #44

Yep, there's a lot said in that short statement. Collectively, some civilizations have RKP5637 Jan 2013 #36

Post removed Post removed Jan 2013 #43

As compared to...? cherokeeprogressive Jan 2013 #47

Bonobos? NoOneMan Jan 2013 #49

Isn't that a little bit like asking if flies were stupid for not outsmarting fly swatters? cherokeeprogressive Jan 2013 #53

Or are they smart for living a free fly's life despite the threat of the swatters? NoOneMan Jan 2013 #55

Is a fly who ventures within range of a fly swatter "smart"? Or is that fly simply unlucky? cherokeeprogressive Jan 2013 #57

For the most part, I am being facetious (especially with the fly talk) NoOneMan Jan 2013 #59

Yes, but we also produce such spectacular exceptions to the rule. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #48

Of course not ismnotwasm Jan 2013 #50

Only in that we have the ability to convince ourselves that we're special, Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2013 #51

we have the ability hopemountain Jan 2013 #54

Well said!!! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #72

Yes. sagat Jan 2013 #56

... RKP5637 Jan 2013 #73

Argh AldoLeopold Jan 2013 #58

+++ 1,000,000 +++ ... for example, congress IMO. n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #74

I doubt we'd have made it this far if we really were. n/t AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #61

This far? NoOneMan Jan 2013 #63

Does it matter all that much, how I measure it? AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #64

Hey, you claimed we were "far"? NoOneMan Jan 2013 #65

Well, we DID manage to make it thru the Cold War without getting ourselves blown up...... AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #68

Yes, but we had a Cold War NoOneMan Jan 2013 #71

People seem to always equate technological advancement to sociological advancement ... RKP5637 Jan 2013 #75

The problem with a lot of technological advancements... NoOneMan Jan 2013 #80

Extremely well said ... and the advantaged really never feel the pain of those propping RKP5637 Jan 2013 #83

I wouldn't call humans 'stupid.' AllenVanAllen Jan 2013 #62

Depends on the person and what you are measuring stupidity with stultusporcos Jan 2013 #66

There's an interesting followup to this question Posteritatis Jan 2013 #67

Very true! LisaLynne Jan 2013 #70

Yep!!! Similar in some ways to many complaining congress is stupid but their guy is RKP5637 Jan 2013 #77

Yep. People are eager to look down on others, but are oddly uncomfortable w/the implications Posteritatis Jan 2013 #108

No, but... GoCubsGo Jan 2013 #76

Well said!!! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #79

"Humans are stupid" is an extremely dis-empowering belief. napoleon_in_rags Jan 2013 #78

We can do that, but first, at least IMO, we need to recognize that collectively, looking out RKP5637 Jan 2013 #81

"unnecessary" I'll go with that... napoleon_in_rags Jan 2013 #85

How will meaningful progress in that direction occur? Agree, willful stupidity is not the best RKP5637 Jan 2013 #89

I believe it will happen when the methods for attaining the truth go viral. napoleon_in_rags Jan 2013 #114

Agree 1000%! I've often thought it would be great if there were some type of truth clearing RKP5637 Jan 2013 #117

I agree too. But I'm also not sure how it would work. napoleon_in_rags Jan 2013 #119

Only when they post stupid polls pinboy3niner Jan 2013 #82

LOL ... RKP5637 Jan 2013 #84

This poll is basically stupid. cali Jan 2013 #88

OK! n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #90

No - when the octopi put their sucker marks on the moon, then I may waiver Baclava Jan 2013 #91

No, but the earth right now would be better off if we had been. polly7 Jan 2013 #93

Any observation of Popular Culture confirms gross stupidity 1-Old-Man Jan 2013 #94

not basically, PROFOUNDLY datasuspect Jan 2013 #95

No, we're just relative. Uncle Joe Jan 2013 #96

Can you think of anything more intelligent. NCTraveler Jan 2013 #97

No, neither can I. n/t RKP5637 Jan 2013 #99

No. We just cant all be scientists. nt Shankapotomus Jan 2013 #100

50% of Americans can not read at the 8th grade level, 43% do not read after hight school 1-Old-Man Jan 2013 #104

No. I mean we can't all be scientists Shankapotomus Jan 2013 #107

More incurious or self-absorbed than stupid. haele Jan 2013 #103

Well said. 1-Old-Man Jan 2013 #105

I concur. littlemissmartypants Jan 2013 #106

That, sums it up quite well IMO. "Most people can't see past their own noses." RKP5637 Jan 2013 #109

It's all Zeus's fault, dammit! Art_from_Ark Jan 2013 #110

Damn Zeus, I had forgotten all about him. Yep, hold 'em accountable! RKP5637 Jan 2013 #111

As I get older I think not stupid; instead "homo homini lupus est." retread Jan 2013 #115

My Latin is from years ago, thank god for google. Yes, I agree very much. This is RKP5637 Jan 2013 #118