European IQ
As a general rule I don't place too much stock in so-called IQ tests. Why? I think it's a rather difficult and complex task to gauge somebody's intelligence, and a series of abstract questions only tests your ability to...answer a series of abstract questions*. Secondly, I've met a few academics with supposedly high IQ's who couldn't tell you if their arses were on fire. That aside, I find this recent study amusing:
A new European league of IQ scores has ranked the British in eighth place, well above the French, who are 19th. According to Richard Lynn of the University of Ulster, Britons have an average IQ of 100. The French scored 94.
Top of the table were the Germans, with an IQ of 107. The Brits were also beaten by the Dutch, Poles, Swedes, Italians, Austrians and Swiss
Professor Lynn, who caused controversy last year by claiming that men were more intelligent than women by about five IQ points on average, said that populations in the colder, more challenging environments of northern Europe had developed larger brains than those in warmer climates in the south.
The average brain size in northern and central Europe is 1320cc and in southeast Europe it is 1312cc.
Well, that explains the student riots in France. Mark my words, these results will go straight to the block-heads of the Germans. I should know - my old man is one. Curiously, the warm Mediterrean region is arguably the birthplace of European civilisation. How did they accomplish such a feat? And meanwhile, what were they doing in Scandinavia, I wonder?
I bet the Brits are shouting "lies, damn lies and statistics" for finishing 8th place. Don't be too hard on yourselves, lads. We all know all the bright Brits migrated to Oz years ago;) Some of the craftier ones even stole the odd loaf of bread to hitch a free ride over.
*OK, the truth is I hate anagrams! Who cares if you can make 'echinda' from 'chained' or 'claimed' from 'medical'?
A new European league of IQ scores has ranked the British in eighth place, well above the French, who are 19th. According to Richard Lynn of the University of Ulster, Britons have an average IQ of 100. The French scored 94.
Top of the table were the Germans, with an IQ of 107. The Brits were also beaten by the Dutch, Poles, Swedes, Italians, Austrians and Swiss
Professor Lynn, who caused controversy last year by claiming that men were more intelligent than women by about five IQ points on average, said that populations in the colder, more challenging environments of northern Europe had developed larger brains than those in warmer climates in the south.
The average brain size in northern and central Europe is 1320cc and in southeast Europe it is 1312cc.
Well, that explains the student riots in France. Mark my words, these results will go straight to the block-heads of the Germans. I should know - my old man is one. Curiously, the warm Mediterrean region is arguably the birthplace of European civilisation. How did they accomplish such a feat? And meanwhile, what were they doing in Scandinavia, I wonder?
I bet the Brits are shouting "lies, damn lies and statistics" for finishing 8th place. Don't be too hard on yourselves, lads. We all know all the bright Brits migrated to Oz years ago;) Some of the craftier ones even stole the odd loaf of bread to hitch a free ride over.
*OK, the truth is I hate anagrams! Who cares if you can make 'echinda' from 'chained' or 'claimed' from 'medical'?
posted by Engels at 2:09 pm
13 Comments:
Head size has nothing to do with intelligence ;) Phrenology (the "science" of determining a person's intelligence level from their head size) has been thrown out of the window years ago.
There's a really good book on intelligence tests ("The mismeasure of man" Stephen Jay Gould) which shows how older American text books would show white people as being superior to black people by grossly altering sketches of black people to make their heads seem smaller and closer to apes (This was a standard class text book!).
IQ tests have also been used to demonstrate cultural differences, suggesting once again that a white race was intellectually superior (I think there's a book by Binet (the founder of IQ tests)that has caused a lot of controversy - "the bell curve" possibly). However, the IQ test is culturally specific so by applying a western designed IQ test to other cultures, they won't score so highly and are then classed as "less intelligent." It would depend on how well matched the tests were across cultures as to the outcome of the I.Q. tests.
I read (in Gould's book) that Plato suggested that in order to have an equal society, there had to be different classes - so using gods as influences, they divided up the society so that they could only remain in that societal group (workers, carers, rich etc). However, that lie has been taken for granted that there is a natural class divide and that the people at the bottom of the scale are less intelligent.
Like you said, it's all a load of bollocks really...:)
Isn't it though, Jen. In my entry I actually covertly linked to Gould's book - see 'gauge'.
The Bell Curve, which did cause a lot of controversy, is a recent book published in the early 90's not by Binet.
I've met people who can solve complex maths problems and then have diffuculty paying rent. IQ at best is just a rough guide.
Yeah, I know we're pretty smart up there ;-)
Romans built their society upon slavery, that's why they didn't evolve much over a millenium, hmm.
It's easy to laugh at american school books showing whites as superior, but doesn't that just prove americans to be stupid?? No, seriously, we shouldn't hang shit on the yanks, they did as their best back in the days. Compare with today's american books, it's all about a snake in an apple tree ;-)
I think slavery was pretty cunning.
I don't think you can blame American school books any more than any other country. The social Darwinism (ie intelligence, morality etc connected to race and genes) movement was born in Britain early last century. A couple of years later a crazed group then used it for their genocidal escapades in Germany...
Swedes are nothing but rapers and robbers. Bloody vikings.
People misunderstand social darwinism as being solely about skin colour.
Not so, most social darwinists also believed the British people were more intelligent and cultured than other white people.
I read somewhere the Irish and the Welsh were prone to criminality according to social darwinism.
There is too much intelligent discussion in this thread
boobies.
PENIS
Oh and by the way you said "Mark my words"...
What the fuck?
And i'm drunk at work
Why the fuck can't i put in my name anymore?
Well i think you know who i am.
As a brit born in Germany and brought up predominantly in Wales with Irish heritage, does this give me bonus I.Q. points to commit more intelligent crimes? ;)
Isn't 'mark my words' an expression?
Hmmm not sure Jen. Since I'm half german, born in Oz, I would be a very crafty thief. Mercury would be proud.
I'll write some less intelligent next Monday when I should be working...
Not one in my vocabulary cabron ;)
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/mark+my+words.html
"You often hear drunks say it before they deliver some particularly spurious nonsense."
Hmmmm?
No hablo espanol...cabron.
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