A person’s IQ (intelligence quotient) is a score derived from standardized tests designed to measure human intelligence and intellectual potential. IQ tests include questions that measure reasoning and problem-solving skills. The discovery that average IQs differ worldwide has been a focus of inquiry and controversy.
Iirc the show “Where in the World is Carmon Sandiego?” was created by the government of the US because something like half of US Americans couldn’t identify the Pacific Ocean on a map.
Edit: it was 25%
The show was created partially in response to the results of a National Geographic survey indicating little knowledge of geography among some of the American populace, with one in four being unable to locate the Soviet Union or the Pacific Ocean.
Do not confuse a poor education with a lack of intelligence. This is because the American educational system is broken. It says nothing about the average American’s intelligence.
Is not “we have most if the world’s wealth, we’re aware that 25% of our populationvm can’t find the biggest ocean in the world in a map, and we also won’t allocate funds to schools to fix this” a sign of low intelligence?
No, it’s a sign of greedy people wanting to keep a population ignorant.
Ignorance is not the same as unintelligence. To use the example I gave elsewhere, an indigenous Amazonian couldn’t find the Pacific Ocean on a map either. That doesn’t mean they’re stupid, and they’re far more likely to survive long-term in the Amazon than people the West regard as geniuses.
Yes. We cannot measure intelligence. We can only measure culturally-relevant knowledge
Generally, its in the interest of a country to have knowledgeable people. Its an investment that pays back well in $$$
Qualitatively, I argue that a country that doesn’t allocate funds to make their population knowledgeable is not an intelligent country, regardless od what knowledge they try to teach (be it the three sisters or geography or mathematics or whatever)
That sounds like a conspiracy theory. Governments aren’t controlled by a few people, they’re controlled by many rich people who all want to stab each other in the back to make an extra dime.
Some of them may be crazy trying to destroy the education of the populous, but certainly others in power want an educated populace.
LPT. If you know any new parents, one of the best gifts is a world map for the baby’s room. Teach them colors and shapes when they are little; then numbers and letters; finally history and politics.
Like, that’s the biggest ocean and biggest country in the world. I wonder how many in the 75% just randomly pointed at blue and got lucky at identifying the Pacific Ocean.
The actual number of people who didn’t know where is the Pacific Ocean must be higher, because of the ones who guessed and got lucky.
Iirc the show “Where in the World is Carmon Sandiego?” was created by the government of the US because something like half of US Americans couldn’t identify the Pacific Ocean on a map.
Edit: it was 25%
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_in_the_World_Is_Carmen_Sandiego%3F_(game_show)
They also couldn’t find the Soviet Union on the map (literally the biggest country in the world) in 1991.
Do not confuse a poor education with a lack of intelligence. This is because the American educational system is broken. It says nothing about the average American’s intelligence.
Is not “we have most if the world’s wealth, we’re aware that 25% of our populationvm can’t find the biggest ocean in the world in a map, and we also won’t allocate funds to schools to fix this” a sign of low intelligence?
No, it’s a sign of greedy people wanting to keep a population ignorant.
Ignorance is not the same as unintelligence. To use the example I gave elsewhere, an indigenous Amazonian couldn’t find the Pacific Ocean on a map either. That doesn’t mean they’re stupid, and they’re far more likely to survive long-term in the Amazon than people the West regard as geniuses.
Yes. We cannot measure intelligence. We can only measure culturally-relevant knowledge
Generally, its in the interest of a country to have knowledgeable people. Its an investment that pays back well in $$$
Qualitatively, I argue that a country that doesn’t allocate funds to make their population knowledgeable is not an intelligent country, regardless od what knowledge they try to teach (be it the three sisters or geography or mathematics or whatever)
I agree. Hence my comment about the American educational system being broken. It hasn’t been invested in for a long time.
But that doesn’t mean that Americans are, on average, less intelligent. It means that the system failed them.
OK, so I guess you’d agree that the people who control the US government are either unintelligent or very bad at their joba
As I said above:
An ignorant population is a compliant population. That’s why so many other nations have ruined their education system and replaced it with propaganda.
That sounds like a conspiracy theory. Governments aren’t controlled by a few people, they’re controlled by many rich people who all want to stab each other in the back to make an extra dime.
Some of them may be crazy trying to destroy the education of the populous, but certainly others in power want an educated populace.
True. Unfortunately, we don’t have a way to measure intelligence that isn’t inherently racist.
LPT. If you know any new parents, one of the best gifts is a world map for the baby’s room. Teach them colors and shapes when they are little; then numbers and letters; finally history and politics.
Thats a really good idea for a gift. I usually buy condoms.
It’s for parents with a new baby. Condoms would be quite early for the later and much too late for the former.
The purpose isn’t to change the past, but to prevent it from happening again
I think a globe, but sure
“Let’s make a TV show to teach kids instead of actually fixing our education system”
I’m not sure you understand how governments work. PBS decided to make this show. They can’t change the school funding.
Yeah, but it had an awesome theme song. Do it, Rockapella!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9aDMuBjR7Q
Nuh, africa is the biggest country!
Like, that’s the biggest ocean and biggest country in the world. I wonder how many in the 75% just randomly pointed at blue and got lucky at identifying the Pacific Ocean.
The actual number of people who didn’t know where is the Pacific Ocean must be higher, because of the ones who guessed and got lucky.
They only got the number to 75% after putting the labels back on the map
I mean…yeah. They COULDN’T find the soviet union in 1991. It disolved in 1990.
It dissolved in December 1991.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union