Theory of Stupidity

[woodsman30]

It would seem there is some confusion about what stupid is it is not dumb... dumb still means mute or unable to speak let us keep in context of our words and current understanding/acceptance of the words whether we disagree about their meaning or not. I also see no real correlation with age or generation type if you will. Stupid is knowing different but doing it anyway stupid is unwilling to think past right now this exact moment in time. Some say it maybe linked to impulsive behavior however, impulsive behavior has been linked to personality and also mental state and this can be a diagnose-able  behavior stupid is not link to either as I had stated it really is a force unto itself.

An example or stupid

Crossing the street while using your phone and not paying attention to traffic = stupid

 I use this example as it is not related to generation, age, inelegance or social status and we have all seen it and yes it is stupid.

[DrunkenCow]

A better example would be clear cutting forest to install a solar farm because AGW.

[Darkpig]

3 hours ago, DrunkenCow said:

A better example would be clear cutting forest to install a solar farm because AGW.

I looked up AGW and apparently that is a brand of ice cream.

[Grey Cloud]

On 3/15/2025 at 2:16 AM, chocula said:

but that's what happens when people do things like deny human-driven climate change

Climate is and always has been real. It is well documented in the historical record and modern scientific research. There is a doctrine called 'catastrophism' which is seemingly largely ignored by mainstream science yet there is an ever-increasing amount of research (and funding) into tracking comets, asteroids, etc.

There is 'stupid' and there is 'ignorant'. People make decisions based upon what they 'know'. They think that they know enough to make an informed decision. Many ignorant people significantly underestimate the scale of their ignorance. This has been known for a couple thousand years at least but now everyone has heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Edited March 19, 2025 by Grey Cloud

[RedHeadAngel]

26 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

Climate is and always has been real. It is well documented in the historical record and modern scientific research. There is a doctrine called 'catastrophism' which is seemingly largely ignored by mainstream science yet there is an ever-increasing amount of research (and funding) into tracking comets, asteroids, etc.

There is 'stupid' and there is 'ignorant'. People make decisions based upon what they 'know'. They think that they know enough to make an informed decision. Many ignorant people significantly underestimate the scale of their ignorance. This has been known for a couple thousand years least but now everyone has heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

As an aspiring theoretical physicist, I have encountered this very thing a lot. Many people believe that because they watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory, they're suddenly an expert in the field.

Fun fact: watching some stupid sitcom will not make you a theoretical physicist.

[Grey Cloud]

7 minutes ago, RedHeadAngel said:

Fun fact: watching some stupid sitcom will not make you a theoretical physicist.

So you are saying it has to be a particular type of stupid sitcom? 🤔

 

While you are here - what was the name of the mod you use for destroying the Thieves Guild? I spotted it in your LO the other day but forgot to make a note of the name.

[Darkpig]

3 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

So you are saying it has to be a particular type of stupid sitcom? 🤔

Is there such a thing as a non-stupid sitcom?

[RedHeadAngel]

10 minutes ago, Darkpig said:

Is there such a thing as a non-stupid sitcom?

Not that I've heard of, no.

[DrunkenCow]

On 3/15/2025 at 5:47 PM, Darkpig said:

I looked up AGW and apparently that is a brand of ice cream.

 

On 3/15/2025 at 6:41 PM, Grey Cloud said:

but now everyone has heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

 

Good comedic timing.

[Grey Cloud]

On 3/15/2025 at 9:47 PM, Darkpig said:

I looked up AGW and apparently that is a brand of ice cream.

I bet it melts really quickly.

[Darkpig]

28 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

I bet it melts really quickly.

Wouldn't be surprised if that was their tagline.

[Darkpig]

Jokes aside people using abbreviations is pointless. Like how the hell am I supposed to know what W.O.W. is?

[Grey Cloud]

5 hours ago, Darkpig said:

Like how the hell am I supposed to know what W.O.W. is?

IDK.

[Darkpig]

4 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

IDK.

...😀

 

Darn kids

[Z0mBieP00Nani]

Actually, there is evidence to suggest that general intelligence has begun to stagnate, and we are in fact becoming dumber from generation to generation; the general I.Q. score has gone down in comparison to how smart the average person was, even 150 years ago. Intelligence is an adaptation, and it is believed that because our environment does not challenge us the way it has over the millennia, intelligence has begun to atrophy, because it is not needed as much anymore in order to survive, so it has begun to be selected out in place of other traits, in addition to this, because medical science has allowed for more and more people to survive childbirth, this has included people with hereditary defects, where before they would have died off due to their mutations or because of said mutations making them more susceptible to sickness, this has had an overall effect on the gene pool. People are not just becoming more stupid, they are also becoming more mentally ill. The brain makes up about 84% of the human genome, which means that the brain is an extremely large target for mutation, it also means that a high degree of visible mutation often corresponds to in-born psychological defects, like mental illness, and often times, lower intelligence. Yes, intelligence is genetic, to a not so insignificant degree.

 

All of this is not including the rot that is present in human society and culture as a whole, and in the educational system.

 

It's all good though, a "reset" is inevitable, at some point. Eventually, this shit show of stupidity will collapse under its own weight as a more and more of the "support columns" die off and fail to be replaced.

[Darkpig]

4 hours ago, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

Actually, there is evidence to suggest that general intelligence has begun to stagnate, and we are in fact becoming dumber from generation to generation; the general I.Q. score has gone down in comparison to how smart the average person was, even 150 years ago. Intelligence is an adaptation, and it is believed that because our environment does not challenge us the way it has over the millennia, intelligence has begun to atrophy, because it is not needed as much anymore in order to survive, so it has begun to be selected out in place of other traits, in addition to this, because medical science has allowed for more and more people to survive childbirth, this has included people with hereditary defects, where before they would have died off due to their mutations or because of said mutations making them more susceptible to sickness, this has had an overall effect on the gene pool. People are not just becoming more stupid, they are also becoming more mentally ill. The brain makes up about 84% of the human genome, which means that the brain is an extremely large target for mutation, it also means that a high degree of visible mutation often corresponds to in-born psychological defects, like mental illness, and often times, lower intelligence. Yes, intelligence is genetic, to a not so insignificant degree.

 

All of this is not including the rot that is present in human society and culture as a whole, and in the educational system.

 

It's all good though, a "reset" is inevitable, at some point. Eventually, this shit show of stupidity will collapse under its own weight as a more and more of the "support columns" die off and fail to be replaced.

I originally was going to refute what you said but I can't help but feel excited. What does this "reset" look like? Are humans finally going to go extinct after a big fuckin asteroid smacks into Earth? Are we just waiting for our sun to burn the entire solar system as it dies? Is global warming gonna flood the Earth making it unsustainable for humans? Are humans all firing their nukes at the same time?

 

If roaches somehow survive I wish their species luck as they try to establish a civilization.

[Z0mBieP00Nani]

18 hours ago, Darkpig said:

I originally was going to refute what you said but I can't help but feel excited. What does this "reset" look like? Are humans finally going to go extinct after a big fuckin asteroid smacks into Earth? Are we just waiting for our sun to burn the entire solar system as it dies? Is global warming gonna flood the Earth making it unsustainable for humans? Are humans all firing their nukes at the same time?

 

If roaches somehow survive I wish their species luck as they try to establish a civilization.

I bet we would probably end up using nukes, due to increased mental instability and lower intelligence informing bad decisions. In actuality, it would probably be a world that looked more like the one in the movie Idiocracy, only, not nearly as funny.

[porkybork]

22 hours ago, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

Actually, there is evidence to suggest that general intelligence has begun to stagnate, and we are in fact becoming dumber from generation to generation; the general I.Q. score has gone down in comparison to how smart the average person was, even 150 years ago. Intelligence is an adaptation, and it is believed that because our environment does not challenge us the way it has over the millennia, intelligence has begun to atrophy, because it is not needed as much anymore in order to survive, so it has begun to be selected out in place of other traits, in addition to this, because medical science has allowed for more and more people to survive childbirth, this has included people with hereditary defects, where before they would have died off due to their mutations or because of said mutations making them more susceptible to sickness, this has had an overall effect on the gene pool. People are not just becoming more stupid, they are also becoming more mentally ill. The brain makes up about 84% of the human genome, which means that the brain is an extremely large target for mutation, it also means that a high degree of visible mutation often corresponds to in-born psychological defects, like mental illness, and often times, lower intelligence. Yes, intelligence is genetic, to a not so insignificant degree.

Sources? I need some good on-the-john reading material.

17 hours ago, Darkpig said:

What does this "reset" look like? Are humans finally going to go extinct after a big fuckin asteroid smacks into Earth? Are we just waiting for our sun to burn the entire solar system as it dies? Is global warming gonna flood the Earth making it unsustainable for humans? Are humans all firing their nukes at the same time?

Nothing lasts forever, and evolution is a gradual process that happens over a long period of time for species that live for several decades like us. When our species does go extinct, I'm guessing it'll be over a long, drawn out process where we either turn into something else, everyone eventually starves to death after some kind of global crisis, or our global population drops to a number too small to produce offspring that aren't horribly inbred. That, or humans won't be able to produce any solutions for the next major climate shift and we all die out then. Still, gradual process.

[Darkpig]

44 minutes ago, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

In actuality, it would probably be a world that looked more like the one in the movie Idiocracy, only, not nearly as funny.

Except we're already there.

[Grey Cloud]

On 3/18/2025 at 10:43 PM, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

Actually, there is evidence to suggest that general intelligence has begun to stagnate

Where?

 

On 3/18/2025 at 10:43 PM, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

the general I.Q. score has gone down in comparison to how smart the average person was, even 150 years ago.

The original IQ test was designed to measure the intelligence of children. The formula used to arrive at an 'IQ' score was different to the formula used today where the test is aimed at adults.

I've just tried an online test and got bored part way through. Numbers and patterns aren't my thing, I'm a words and humanities type of guy.

 

1 hour ago, porkybork said:

it is believed that because our environment does not challenge us the way it has over the millennia, intelligence has begun to atrophy, because it is not needed as much anymore in order to survive, so it has begun to be selected out in place of other traits,

Believed by who? Our environment doesn't challenge us? Then why did we invent air-conditioning, double-glazing, insulation, umbrellas, etc.? The number of people with access to a more or less decent standard of education has sky-rocketed even since WW2.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2025 by Grey Cloud

[Grey Cloud]

On 3/18/2025 at 10:43 PM, Z0mBieP00Nani said:

It's all good though, a "reset" is inevitable, at some point.

Says who?

[Vader666]

1 hour ago, Grey Cloud said:

Our environment doesn't challenge us? Then why did we invent air-conditioning, double-glazing, insulation, umbrellas, etc.?

 

I guess that was the point ?

Because of these, mundane things, like winter for example, are not as much of a challange as they used to.

Due to technology less people are getting filtered out early.  

Edited March 20, 2025 by Vader666

[porkybork]

1 hour ago, Grey Cloud said:

2 hours ago, porkybork said:

it is believed that because our environment does not challenge us the way it has over the millennia, intelligence has begun to atrophy, because it is not needed as much anymore in order to survive, so it has begun to be selected out in place of other traits,

Believed by who? Our environment doesn't challenge us? Then why did we invent air-conditioning, double-glazing, insulation, umbrellas, etc.? The number of people with access to a more or less decent standard of education has sky-rocketed even since WW2.

Did you quote me quoting the other guy? How did this happen?

 

Also, your response made me think of something. I live somewhere that gets pretty hot during the summer. As such, we get quite a few reports of people, usually poor people and people who work outside, dying of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Data indicates that heat-related deaths are rising and will continue to rise in the future unless societies worldwide prepare for it. I would say that people dying from rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves definitely counts as "our environment challenging us".

[Darkpig]

I've been thinking that humanity has a lot of dumb mother fuckers. Whenever these dumb mother fuckers try to change logic they make everyone stupider as a result. Why do they change logic? Because they don't want to think too hard about something so they want to change it to something simpler even though it is false.

 

For example many people want to think the world is flat because it hurts when they try thinking of Earth as anything but a 2D plane. We've known since ancient times that the Earth is spherical and further advancements in technology has made that fact even clearer.

 

As a bit of a disclaimer: People should be free to choose their own labels. You have the right to argue but don't be surprised when that person tells all their friends how much of an ass you are. Freedom of speech does not equal freedom of consequences. And with that I realize I won't be part of the flat Earther barbeque any time soon but at this point I would rather listen to "Let It Go" for the umpteenth time than another Flat Earther rant.

[Z0mBieP00Nani]

21 hours ago, Vader666 said:

 

I guess that was the point ?

Because of these, mundane things, like winter for example, are not as much of a challange as they used to.

Due to technology less people are getting filtered out early.  

That was exactly the point. "Civilization" and farming has made survival easier in many ways. Sure, life was harder even 150 - 200 years ago, but as we have advanced, even those struggles have been overcome. You used to have to scrub your clothes against a wash board, that was hard work, now you just stick them into a spinning box with water and soap, wait about an hour for the buzzer to go off, and then shove it into another spinning box full of hot air that dries them. We used to have to hunt for food, that required skill and patience, now we can just go down to the supermarket and have seasoned steaks on the grill and a fresh salad the same evening, that wasn't as true, 200 years ago, for example. People are required to think less, so they assume that they don't NEED to think as much, and then intelligence gets put on the back burner, as far as traits are concerned, instead it's more like: "does this person make me laugh" or "how much money do they make" or "how big are their muscles" or... You get the picture.

 

As far as the educational system is concerned, sure, maybe our understanding of things is better, but the methods for teaching are awful these days, in many ways, when compared to the past, and don't get me started on the rampant political indoctrination that takes place in public schools these days... That stuff is not going to make people smarter, instead it is only there to teach them how they SHOULD think, rather than how to be objective and think critically about things...

 

EDIT: All of that doesn't even include things like birth control and abortion. Now, abortion tends to affect the "poor" population more, and along with that comes a higher probability for lower intelligence, however birth control, like condoms or the pill, when taken correctly, are quite effective at stopping new humans from being born, and those affect everyone more than abortion, especially those who are of high intelligence, because most people don't want kids right away, if ever, but they do have an itch for sex, and the natural result of sex is reproduction. Believe it or not, the widespread use of birth control has probably had the biggest impact on general intelligence, not to mention the birth rate on a worldwide scale.

Edited March 20, 2025 by Z0mBieP00Nani