This Is an IQ Blog

One of the main subjects of this blog is human intelligence, in particular IQ tests, their scores and everything surrounding them. We are sort of like Pumpkin Person in that way.  And yes, we will discuss the racial angle. We have been talking about IQ and human intelligence since the early days of this site and we will continue to do so. We are not trying to show off or brag because there’s nothing to brag about anyway. No one values intelligence or IQ, so there’s no way to brag about being smart. It’s like bragging about being poor. Anyway, as you can see, intelligence is not such a great thing. Many of the posts on here discuss how high intelligence, instead of being a gift to brag about, is almost a disability along the lines of Asperger’s Syndrome. There’s about as many bad things about it as good things. And as I have said many times, often I think I would kill for average intelligence and just being one of the boys. It must be such an easier way to go through life. I am trying to take into account that 9 In Meatspace, I don’t talk about this much unless I have a good opening to do so. Like if someone says, “Jesus Christ you’re smart! How the Hell do you know all this stuff?” Actually people say things like this to me all the time, believe it or not. OK, then maybe I let the score slip out. I also act ashamed and embarrassed as I say that as if I am saying something shameful. That’s called “false modesty.” I know it’s a social faux pas to discuss IQ. I know many people think it is such a social faux pas that they refuse to even tell you their score. These people tend to be people like  physicians and attorneys who think they have strict social rules that apply to them. I assure you that any clinical psychologist will tell you their score in a New York minute. We are trying to take into account that this is such a socially sensitive subject, and we are trying to talk about human intelligence in the least offensive way possible. Also we have a lot of posts on the downside of very high intelligence. It’s not all a walk in the park. Everything is up for grabs here. Commenters can discuss their scores and those of people they know. The racial and gender aspects of IQ are up for grabs, as are the curious cases where people with lower scores seem more intelligent than people with higher scores. We want to see what life is like for people at different intelligence levels. We want to know about the nature of communication across intelligence levels. We are especially interested in the notion that communication becomes difficult to impossible when you get to 30 IQ points apart. Human intelligence is largely inborn and hence it is a gift. No one is better than anyone else due to their gifts because they did not earn them. If you have very high intelligence, it’s nothing to brag about, and it doesn’t make you better because you did nothing to earn it. You just lucked out in the genetic lottery, and you were smart enough to pick the right parents. Since discussion of IQ and human intelligence is pretty much banned in our society as a violation of social rules, we have set aside this website as a safe place for people who want to discuss these subjects without fear of being scolded for breaking social rules. You can talk about this stuff all you want on here, and you aren’t violating any social rules because this website is outside of the stupid social rules zone. Since this is officially an IQ blog, people who naturally feel it is a social violation to discuss human intelligence are asked to either shut up or leave the site. This is what we talk about here. It’s one of the reasons for the state. We don’t care about your moronic social rules, and we’ve got our own little safe space here where we can commit social faux pax’s all we want without fear of the Politeness Police. Anyway, I just thought I would clear that up. No one is here to brag about anything, and high or very high intelligence is nothing to brag about anyway, as no one seems to value it. Even through we are breaking social rules by talking about this subject at all, we will still try to talk about it in as sensitive a way as possible so we are breaking the social rules in the mildest way possible. We have no interest in being deliberately offensive. I hope that clears up some things. If you enjoy the hard work that goes into this website, please consider a contribution to support the continuation of the site. Donations are the only thing that keep the site operating.

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0 thoughts on “This Is an IQ Blog”

  1. You were given the test when you were in school, either junior high or high school. Your parents should know the score of you can call up the school and ask for it. I believe they are mandated by law to give it to you.

  2. I’ve had my IQ tested a number of times, including once for a job application. Excluding the obviously fake internet tests, my score has been consistently between 135-140. I probably haven’t used my IQ to its full potential career wise, and Robert is one of the few people who I’ve seen who have given a good explanation why. Over a certain level, career and work can be boring. I see colleagues checking Facebook on their phone at work, messaging friends or seeing funny videos or some mundane pop crap. I’m reading articles on Nietzsche, Capitalism, science, computing, how to do template metaprogramming in C++, reading analysis of the employee/employer relationship in Capitalism and how it is human rental, black holes, that kind of thing. People tune out of their work by relaxing their mind, I tune out by doing the opposite. Despite the fact I work in a semi-professional position, the challenge isn’t there, and when it is, it’s bullshit challenges.
    So I can appreciate why some prefer more menial work.

    We are especially interested in the notion that communication becomes difficult to impossible when you get to 30 IQ points apart.

    I agree with this, to a degree. It depends on the subject. If the subject is not intellectual, the difference isn’t an issue. If the subject is purely about knowledge, such as, how to best catch a certain type of fish, no problem. But if analysis is required by both parties, it gets difficult, especially if they have to work something out or analyse. I often have to abort a conversation because the other person isn’t able to understand my point. I second guess whether its them or me, if I’m just not making sense, but the exact same point seems to be understood without too much difficulty with people who are closer in intelligence. I’m constantly over-estimating peoples intellectual ability and ability to take new ideas, and therefore I come off seeming quirky or odd to people, because I’m saying things that don’t make sense to them.
    Do others find this?

    1. I do the same thing. I always assume your ordinary person knows a lot more than they do. I do not think average IQ humans are dumb. In fact, they are quite intelligent. They are just not interested in the same stuff we are. They think it’s boring, and they see no reason why they should learn about or know these things. To them it’s just a lot of useless information.
      I come off quirky and odd all the time for this very reason. The stuff I say doesn’t make sense. My jokes don’t even make sense. I have to explain my jokes sometimes. Not only that, but I sprinkle my speech with all sorts of cultural references to famous people or people in the news even decades ago, music, songs, movies, books, sayings, art, politicians, geographical places, historical events, etc. To me this is just a normal way of talking, but most people just act baffled. They think I don’t make sense so to them that means you are weird.
      But I can talk to more people than you think. There is a guy at the bank. No idea what his IQ is. 110? Who knows? He comes from Bolivia and he is amazed how much I know about Bolivia. We have these great conversations about Bolivia and he is up on most of the historical events, cultural, racial, ethnic and linguistic issues, so it’s a lot of fun to talk to him.
      I can talk to the local Arabs (Syrians, Palestinians and Yemenis) and Pakistanis a lot. It is sad but these people seem much more intelligent than your most Americans. I think that these people come from cultures that value education. Even places like Pakistan, Yemen, Palestine, and Syria place a big premium on education. It’s actaully a status symbol to know stuff and everyone respects the guy who knows a lot of stuff. In contrast Americans mostly seem contemptuous of education and think if it does not make you money, it is a waste of time.
      Some of the local Punjabis actually know some stuff. They’re know more than the average American!
      Mexicans are pretty contemptuous of education. They are far worse than Americans. They mostly seem to think it is a gigantic waste of time.
      I have to shut down conversations constantly because the other person is giving me that baffled look.

    2. I live in Hong Kong. When I was in high school, it was quite difficult to get into universities in HK because of the limited enrollment quota, but I know people, teachers and friend who enrolled for ‘external degree’ program of U of London. It means one self-taught and learned the stuff from the books they recommended, and then at the end of a few years, sat for 9 grueling exams and got the degree after all 9 exams were passed simultaneously. Tough but doable. Of course it only applied to programs that didn’t require laboratory work like math, history…
      Hey my friend, I’m glad you have the same dedication and ability of self-taught learning. I heard college education is getting very expensive in US, but ‘e-learning’ could be a solution considered the advances in communication technology. And I bet even laboratory works could be tailored and arranged for most science and engineering programs. Of course, it takes determination on the part of the learners. But its doable and economical.

  3. OK Robert, I’ll take the bait. I’ve said that I’m not interested in measuring intelliegence. But we are in a safe space as you say and this is anonymous. I didn’t know my IQ, so I had to ask my mommy this morning what it is. LOL. First she acted like she couldn’t remember. Then she said 156. She said I took it in the second week of kindergarten. I said she must be mistaken, and she said she wanted me out of kindergarten and the school wouldn’t move me, so they had me take the test. It worked so maybe that’s true. I wonder what Mer’s IQ is.
    I have a technical degree and am in executive management so apparently I am a freak of nature. Seriously, I do see logic in your previous posts about intelligence. It has not been an easy road. But many people don’t have an easy road. We are blessed that we can put intelligence to good use to help navigate that road.
    Suggestions to feel more normal and happy: see a shrink (#1); consistently excercise (I am moderately disabled but go to the pool); get a job with some autonomy (this may take time while building a career); find hobbies and a profession that allow for social engagement, with something mentally challenging to discuss; manage people (endlessly challenging, varying and fulfilling); speak publicly; travel; find people “smarter” than you in your field and others; periodically force yourself to be simply social; and explore topics that seem difficult or boring.
    It seems we generally agree that intelligence is not a guarantee of anything. To me, it is a tool. There are people not using it, bragging about it but doing not much with it, using it as an excuse to not get involved in the world, and using it not for good (doing bad things and/or to evade life responsibilities). If you were raised in a dysfunctional environment and/or have psychological issues, these things are more likely to happen. But there are ways to deal with that, unless you have extreme psychological issues. There are people with pretty dull tools putting theirs to excellent use.
    Yes, intelligence can be used to get a job that makes more money. Fortunately, well-paid, fulfilling and meaningful jobs exist. Money can help intelligent people. It can allow for more philanthropy, travel opportunities, books, mentally stimulating and beautiful artwork and historical items, unique life experiences, and types of hobbies. These things can bring you into contact with more like-minded people. All this can help create a feeling of happiness and normalcy, which can foster greater productivity resulting in an increased contribution to society. If you value contributing to society it all adds up to a more fulfilling and pleasant life.
    A well-paying job can be life-changing for women. Not that I necessarily am one. A low-paying job means you have to quit to raise your children (which is fine if you prefer that), a medium-paying job means your kids go to daycare, and a well-paying job means people help you take care of your kids and house so you can have a fulfilling job and get to spend more quality time with your kids.

    1. Let me add that a well-paying job is not the only way to go. There are many other life choices that can be equally fulfilling. I’m just defending that one as an option. Thank you.

  4. Americans and those in the Anglosphere appear dumb because any mental pursuit which is not directly related to making money or “productivity” is seen as a waste. So you have really mentally shallow people, who can still figure some things out pretty quick.
    Creativity seems independent to IQ, to a degree. We have a lot of Asians in Australia, and they are intelligent, but in a limited way. I suspect the White/Asian IQ gap would close somewhat if Whites exercised their minds with rote learning to the same degree. Asian intelligent falls short in terms of creativity.
    Outside of controlled academic environments and exams, Asians tend to do more poorly. This has been observed by teachers who note that many who do very well on final school exams tend not to follow the same pattern of excellence afterwards. I note this too. Many Asians who are put in the media for excelling at school, yet in the workplace, they disappear. When you look at the names of authors of bleeding edge software, its predominantly Caucasian. Whites seem better at applying intelligence to problems.

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