that half of Americans are smarter than average. A lot smarter. I have observed that DUers are in the upper half. Maybe far higher than that.

The problem is every American gets a vote, regardless of their ability to express critical thinking.

people, dumb from your standards, should get half a vote? 😂

could help end our Democracy and should be challenged for being misinformed and uninformed voters. It's our obligation to reach out and get the facts to them. But failing this, I have already executed an exit plan. I don't want to live all year in a country where 46% of voters think Trump should be president, even if he loses. 2 weeks is enough. But that's my choice.

Democracies require well informed voters. History is replete with countries who fell victim to democratically elected dictators. A guy named Hitler comes to mind. And I believe Putin started out this way.

As I said in an earlier reply, I'm just making an objective observation.

that 5 minutes of American Self Hate. It's so uplifting.

and he is a viable candidate for President again. My OP is not self-hate; It's an objective observation.

them a distinct Minority, losing the Popular Vote in both elections, in addition to the Electoral one of 2020.

One bad leader hardly justifies the belittling of an an entire nation, especially in lieu of points of comparison -- No "objective observation" rendered.

Last edited Fri May 3, 2024, 04:03 AM - Edit history (2)

all voting age adults who failed to vote are as much to blame.

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Link to more evidence:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intersections/202206/scary-polls-americans-belief-in-things-without-evidence

KEY POINTS
*As confidence in science continues to plummet, belief in ideas without any evidence soars.

*Polls on a variety topics reveal that some Americans aren't sure about basic facts, such as whether the world is round.

*Educational attainment and political affiliation are contributing factors to subscription to specific conspiracy theories.

A large minority, but given the unprecedented number of election "irregularities", i.e.Russian interference, 'Hillary's emails', that shouldn't be too surprising nor automatically attributed to voter's intelligence or educational level.

There is hardly any difference in acuity, grasp & practical solving for any IQ ± 10. The sigma is 15, as well.
So the math isn't as clean, since an IQ of 95 & 100 are, for all practical purposes.
So for that vast group from 85-115, the "half" thing is a little squishy.

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter". - Winston Churchill British - Statesman November 30, 1874 - January 24, 1965

Your OP stated that your statement is a mathematical fact. I disagree.
Not sure how Churchill's opinion is relevant to whether something is mathematically valid or not.

Without being mathematically valid.

In order for half to be dumber and half to be smarter, it would have to be the "mean American". But the word "mean" has more than one meaning and I took poetic license to use "average" to make my point.

As for Churchill, he mentioned Democracy in his quote without regard to nationality. It fits here and there.

Mean would be the average, median is the point where half the sample is above and half the sample is below.

On edit:
Although, I think if you substitute "IQ" for "intelligence", your statement would be correct , due to how IQ is measured. Don't quote me on that.

Mean and Average are the same thing. Median is the point where half are higher, and half are lower.

Thank you

I think if you substitute "IQ" for "intelligence", your statement would be correct, due to how IQ is measured. I'm not sure about that, though.

..just sayin'.

without regard to nationality. The quote fits here and there (Trump here; Brexit there).

without mentioning democracy.

means all democracies, including America. I'm an American. I have a right to criticize my own country, both morally and legally.

I have much less moral authority to criticize a foreign country.

You?..Sorry, but unless you can provide some documented source that supports that interpretation of Churchhill's words, you are, again, simply speculating.

P.S. I thought you might be interested
in the fact of there being some uncertainty as to whether Churchill actually ever made this remark.

hthttps://winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-141/red-herrings-famous-quotes-churchill-never-said/

Move on

It might be time for You to "move on".

And he is an American

You can find self-haters anywhere.

as she's known for spewing Russian talking points on the floor of the House. Any knowledge of history would tell her that Russia has long been one of our most staunch enemies, and a foe of cemocracies world wide.

than the average German, Brit, Belgian, Anyone..Those believing otherwise are people desperately needing to get out more.

That's why Italy had a Mussolini, France a Napolean, Spain had a Franco and Germany a Hitler.

And America has Donald Trump.

to say "average person" rather than stipulate a nationality, i.e., "average' American", "average German", etc. "

There is no Trump equivalent in England or Germany, and I can't vote there.

If so, why? Is it a failure to educate our children properly? Is our population declining in our ability to distinguish fact from fiction or is our problem that we give equal value to fact and fiction, truth and lie? In making decisions are emotions as important as facts? Are we to face a new Dark Age? Is that a normal progression in human development? Light to darkness, darkness to light?

The only thing that we can do is face down problems as they arise. My honest belief that the most pressing problem that we are facing today is selecting who is going to "lead" our nation for the next four years. If we blow this decision, we may not get the fair chance to decide for a long time; it is something that we have control over.

If we don't pull out all of the stops, if we screw up the coming election, it will be our own damn fault and we will pay for our failure.

"I think we can safely conclude that the average American is a pretty smart cookie."

https://medium.com/@mike.s.chambers/iq-distribution-in-the-united-states-and-more-0e76f910abe7

and ignoring evidence to the contrary.

It's the old fallacy that the loudest voice is the most representative.

In 2016, she stated "I'm not voting for Trump. He scares me."

Two months later, (without irony), she stated, "I'm not voting for Hillary. She scares me."

Fortunately, she lives in NY, and her vote didn't make an impact. Although Trump did win the electoral votes.

You calling that dumb?

Once upon a time in a bustling city, there were two neighbors, each with contrasting perspectives on intelligence.

On one side of the street lived Mr. Thompson, a well-dressed man who held multiple degrees from prestigious universities. He believed intelligence was measured by academic achievements and eloquent speech. He often judged others based on their educational background and social status.

Across the street lived Mr. Johnson, the owner of a thriving air conditioning and refrigeration business. Despite barely graduating high school, Mr. Johnson was remarkably successful, earning a comfortable income of $150,000 annually. He believed intelligence was about practical skills and common sense rather than formal education.

One day, as they crossed paths at the neighborhood block party, Mr. Thompson remarked to Mr. Johnson, "I can't fathom how someone without a college degree can be successful. It's clear to me that education is the key to intelligence."

Mr. Johnson chuckled and replied, "Well, Mr. Thompson, intelligence comes in many forms. While you value academic accolades, I value real-world experience and problem-solving skills. Look at my business—it's thriving because of my practical intelligence, not my diplomas."

Mr. Thompson raised an eyebrow skeptically. "But surely, education opens doors and provides opportunities that you wouldn't have otherwise."

"Perhaps," Mr. Johnson conceded, "but intelligence isn't solely defined by degrees on a wall. It's about making smart decisions, adapting to challenges, and achieving success on your own terms."

As the conversation continued, Mr. Thompson began to realize that intelligence was indeed multifaceted. While he excelled in academic pursuits, Mr. Johnson possessed a different kind of intelligence—one born out of resilience, innovation, and practicality.

In the end, they agreed that intelligence wasn't a matter of black and white, but rather a colorful spectrum encompassing various abilities and talents. And as they toasted to their newfound understanding, they celebrated the richness of diversity in intelligence that surrounded them in their vibrant neighborhood.