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NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

59. For the most part, I am being facetious (especially with the fly talk)

Reply to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #57)

Thu Jan 10, 2013, 01:52 AM

Jan 2013

It is neither. The fly is just being a fly.

My main point: is living in a manner that promotes happiness a measure of "intelligence" (or the ultimate measure). If everything we figure out does not improve our condition, is it smart to figure it out? Otherwise, is intelligence even a "useful" trait if it does not improve our condition (rendering the line of questioning moot).

The bonobo lives a bonobo life of fucking. Why are we smarter for living a life of earth trashing and subjugation? If we accepted our fate and pursued pleasures and freedom (despite environmental threats), this may in fact be smarter if we ended up happier. Was it less intelligent to leave our bonobo brothers' side and pursue a path to misery?

Or are we humans just being humans (despite half a million years of hominid existence that was a different path)? Or is the problem that humans are not being human?

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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