Thread: How do you imagine the future?

Originally Posted by Wolfwood

1. An inevitably augmented one. Though the type of augmentations will be largely dictated by military and health/medicinal goals.

Also, is it fair to assert that the 'working class' tend to have more offspring than the middle class? Even if similar, given also that there are more working class than middle class, there will be more working class offspring. Now, even if we assume erroneously that potential intelligence is not largely genetic, then it still follows that those who have ready access to private tutors, great nutrition, and countless books etc will come closer to their intellectual potential. That is to say, working class families do not generally have such privileges, whilst middle class do. Ergo, middle class families end up with those reaching their intellectual potential, and the working class generally don't (not to say they won't be successful - different matter entirely). Ultimately then, the general intelligence of humans should decrease. I posit that the only reason there has been a clear increase in intelligence is because of the technological revolution and reliance on electronic gadgets for intellectual assistance. I can't help, then, but see a future where the general population have decreased organic brain intelligence, but an apparent overall increase in intelligence due to inorganic augmentation.

I'm not making a judgement on this view, for arguably, it is the next stage in human evolution: from man using a basic club as a tool, to man making tools capable of providing somewhat independent assistance, to ultimately man merging with his tools. Thus becoming one and the same.

You can't really say that working class citizens are inherently less smart than middle and upper class citizens. Some people may be very smart but be born into a family with less money. Also some people may very well choose to not go to college or have a working class job because that is what they want to do with their life, not because they are stupid. Also, as far as I know, intelligence isn't effected all that much by genetics. Even if it was and all working class people were genetically less intelligent it would take thousands of years for it to have a any kind of noticeable effect on the general intelligence of mankind.

Originally Posted by MadMonkey

You can't really say that working class citizens are inherently less smart than middle and upper class citizens. Some people may be very smart but be born into a family with less money. Also some people may very well choose to not go to college or have a working class job because that is what they want to do with their life, not because they are stupid. Also, as far as I know, intelligence isn't effected all that much by genetics. Even if it was and all working class people were genetically less intelligent it would take thousands of years for it to have a any kind of noticeable effect on the general intelligence of mankind.

I didn't say they were inherently stupid.

"Some people may be very smart but be born into a family with less money" - Indeed, so less privileges (i.e., less environmental advantage), so how are these people smart? Genetics or lucky exposure. Fair enough, intelligence is a dodgy thing to define; however, if we accept, as Omnis Dei noted, that it is genetic aptitude, you'll find a genetic basis does play a large part as does environment; there is interplay.

Yes, it would take many many years, but that is the point of this discussion, no? To discuss humanity's future, which I wouldn't classify as 10 years from now lol.

Fyi, I am from a typical working class family, and believe me, I see how many babies others have. I live amongst these people - unemployed single mums or duos have babies, in some part, to gain income. A woman four doors down is pregnant with her 9th now, different man. More income for more babies, yet this should dissolve across the amount of babies due to more needs from more babies. However, instead, you see a decreasing consideration for the children, and an increase in her weight and smoking habits. That's 9 humans instantly disadvantaged because of some fat idiot. None of the children go to school.....ah it's a sad case. And that's only speaking of one where I live.

I think the point is that even if you refuse to attribute any intelligence/aptitude to genetics, one can easily argue that if children are not exposed to intellectually demanding topics during their 'developmental stage' (where the brain is highly plastic), they will then be quite stupid further on, e.g., like the kids above not going to school. Therefore, that is 9 children from one idiot, who will most likely become/remain idiots because their brain wasn't exposed to the right material at the right age.

Ultimately, then, even if all children were born with equal brain potential (not true), there is a quick divergence when some are exposed to demanding material during high brain plasticity, whilst others are exposed to such material beyond the critical stage. And the amount and intensity of exposure is largely down to the parents' choice (thus, their intelligence or rationality), and the parents' financial position - compare my parents sending me to an absolute pikey school (simple because it was closest) to my parents either having the rationality or money to send me to a boarding school/private school/grammar school. lol my school was called a fking sports college because that was all we were good at (well, I was shite at sports).