Do you think that the average person...

[snoop dogg***]

In the 1920's much of the working class worked ridiculous hours in shitty conditions. By default, they had to work harder and be more resilient in every aspect just to get through the day. This doesn't make them smarter, it just makes their personality/accomplishments more apparent. Today, many people can accomplish what their employer expects of them in just a few hours of an eight hour shift, through their fingertips. A lot of jobs don't require you to be worked to the bone to accomplish your tasks. Maybe technology is just making things easier, rather than making everyone stupid.

Back then and now, we have lazy, stupid people and smart, hard-working people. Different times same shit. The only difference is that the former were punished more severely for their lethargic incompetence back then (living on the streets), where as nowadays they live more comfortably (welfare, and the general increase in the quality of life (at least in the USA)).

1920s was an example.. it could have been the 40s, 50s, 60s, any decade before 2000 really...

 

[snoop dogg***]

yeah dumb question, people are becoming measurably smarter, TV actually increases intelligence of the mass populous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

I swear most people just make shit up and refuse to actually look at scientific research and would rather back up their hair brained theories with anecdotes

when did i make anything up? i asked a question on what you all think. if you think its so dumb you didnt have to answer it.

please tell me 1 fact i made up? i never even stated one...

 

[Jake Sonyou]

In the 1920's much of the working class worked ridiculous hours in shitty conditions. By default, they had to work harder and be more resilient in every aspect just to get through the day. This doesn't make them smarter, it just makes their personality/accomplishments more apparent. Today, many people can accomplish what their employer expects of them in just a few hours of an eight hour shift, through their fingertips. A lot of jobs don't require you to be worked to the bone to accomplish your tasks. Maybe technology is just making things easier, rather than making everyone stupid.

Back then and now, we have lazy, stupid people and smart, hard-working people. Different times same shit. The only difference is that the former were punished more severely for their lethargic incompetence back then (living on the streets), where as nowadays they live more comfortably (welfare, and the general increase in the quality of life (at least in the USA)).

This is an interesting point. I think that people back then definitely had "built more character" and were disciplined because of the what they had to do to get by.

 

[kingJohn]

Smarter, people who say otherwise are just being nostalgic, and would say everything use to be better in the past.

 

[Concrete]

Smarter.

 

[eembach]

when did i make anything up? i asked a question on what you all think. if you think its so dumb you didnt have to answer it.

please tell me 1 fact i made up? i never even stated one...

I didn't say snoop dogg is doing that, just that people in general do that, and in this context people think the world is getting dumber while it is actually getting significantly smarter.

I could also point you to your comment about people seeming to strive for less higher education now than previously and then prove that wrong with statistics but that would just be arguing semantics

 

[Rusk]

same as always, its not like average people were smarter back in the days

 

[CreepingTom]

There's a difference between being smart and knowing things. I think the availability of knowledge is obviously greater but that doesn't necessarily mean that the average person is getting smarter. I think the average person is getting lazier and it takes action to remain smart.

 

[Benoco]

Dumber, by FAR.

Put a man from 1940 in a city with no idea how he got there and he'd be completely fine.

Put a man from today in a city with no access to electronics and he'd probably kill himself.

Bad example but men, and people in general, are far less savvy than before.

According to the Flynn effect he'd be an idiot.

Edit: Someone already posted it.

 

[adam199]

1920s was an example.. it could have been the 40s, 50s, 60s, any decade before 2000 really...

I think you can apply the same logic with any decade. With more technology comes more circumvention of hard work. The 50's were easier than the 40's, the 40's over the 30's, etc. There's people who sit at a desk and get more done in two hours than a guy in any other decade could do in a full days work. It doesn't make one person smarter. If you have shortcuts, use them. If you don't have to work hard to maintain a stable and happy life, why work harder? In the end, it's a choice to work hard in these times. Back then, there was no choice. I'm only talking about the middle class, though.

In twenty years, some jackass is going to be able to do what I work hard to do in no time, and he's going to spend the rest of the day scratching his ass, calling me a retard for doing things the hard way. He may not have my work ethic, but he'll sure as shit be better in every other aspect of my job. He'll technically hold more valuable knowledge than me, so maybe that does make him smarter.

I think what the older generations have over us is generally being more active individuals. You just had to do more to get your point across, no matter how stupid or smart that point is.

 

[Geordie "Shadow" Munro]

I can bench press an assload of books

This

 

[se7enthsign]

Smarter, people who say otherwise are just being nostalgic, and would say everything use to be better in the past.

I agree. Overall, people today are smarter. The difference is that with the internet and reality TV, we are now aware of our own ignorance. Today, we know that millions of Americans can't find the US on a map. Who is to say that hasn't always been the case? We know that a large portion of the population was illiterate in the 1920's. I'd say that most kids today can at least read. Technology makes things easier, but it doesn't invent itself. Somebody has to write the program. Science is no contest. We are light years ahead.

 

[TheSauce]

the average person has access to a lot more information than they did 100 years ago. maybe our crystallized intelligence increased but our social intelligence may be decreasing as well.

 

[MortalWombat]

yeah dumb question, people are becoming measurably smarter, TV actually increases intelligence of the mass populous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

I swear most people just make shit up and refuse to actually look at scientific research and would rather back up their hair brained theories with anecdotes

 

[surf fu]

No, smarter.

People these days have access to the internet in their pocket.

Before if you were arguing with your buddy something and you both were convinced you are right, you guys just argue until each has made their points

Now you just pull out your phone for a definitive answer.

Before many didn't go to school past the sixth grade and shit.

The thing is, there is just more people. So statistically, that means more dumber people AND more smarter people.

I'd say the average person is smarter though. We are in the Information Age.

 

[thetruth2709]

As many have said I think collectively we are beyond past generations in our ability to communicate, interact and access information however individually (the common average person) is relying too much on technology and are not using their fucking brain... its hard to find an answer because as a society yes we are advancing but individually no.

 

[Benoco]

Interesting, I assumed it was hair.

 

[Satsui Ryu]

As far as knowing general facts I would say we are doing way better than in the past. There is just too much easy access to random info that it would be impossible for us to not be smarter in that respect. Being able to think intuitively or follow logic has probably not changed very much. That comes more through practice and natural ability than anything the internet or TV can provide.

 

[faustian]

Ofcourse the human collective is getting smarter. stupid question, Next

I agree, very dumb question. Seems like the average question is getting dumber over time...

 

[elmo_1968]

It depends how you define intelligence, but I would say smarter. Definitely more educated.

You bring up the example of TV shows, but of course in the 1920's there were no TV's. When they did come out, at first only the rich could afford them and the govt. regulated content.