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What do you think of the assertion "White people are more intelligent than black.....

What do you think of the assertion that "White people are more intelligent than black people"?

Of course, there are lots of problems with the statement, not to mention the generalization.

But some think it true and assert that statistics support this (sadly, even great and contributory scientists are of such opinions, such as the prized James Dewey Watson).

However, surely, regardless of statistics - (which, by the way, compare some poor sub-Saharan Africans living in poor conditions to people living in developed countries in the sphere of IQ testing) - surely such a statement is actually destructive? How exactly would this help anyone?

For example, if I were to have a child, and tell him/her that "Look, you're actually stupid because you're black" and I were to present him/her with the statistics to back it up and tell him "Look, poor sub-Saharan Africans performed much worse on tests than Europeans and East Asians and Jews" - how exactly would this benefit him? Would this not impede his progress?

Now imagine telling entire groups of people that? Imagine, for example, telling masses of black schoolchildren this. How exactly would such a "revelation" - such a "truth" - benefit them (even when there are countless examples to show those statements as misguided and erroneous)?

This isn't about being "PC" - this is about intelligent discussion and how such statements as the above are misguided and erroneous. Such statements see things as black and white; clear cut - the human race is clearly not like that.

What do you think?



My opinion:

Spoiler



P.S.

Let's keep this civil and intelligent, ladies and gentlemen. :h:
(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1
Avatar for Damask-
Damask-
16
Wow, it's been a whole three days since I last saw this thread.
Black people on average come from poorer families, and live in poorer areas. Hence on average they will receive a poorer education, I'm not 100% but I think richer families care more if their kid skips school than a poorer family, who are more concerned with making ends meet. If you receive a poor education then you are going to be less intelligent in later life, I doubt it has much to do with your ethnicity.
Original post by Damask-
Wow, it's been a whole three days since I last saw this thread.


This thread was only just created. :colonhash:
Original post by HumanSupremacist
This thread was only just created. :colonhash:


And you don't think you're stupid?
She meant that similar threads are really common.


Original post by justanotherposter
Black people on average come from poorer families, and live in poorer areas. Hence on average they will receive a poorer education, I'm not 100% but I think richer families care more if their kid skips school than a poorer family, who are more concerned with making ends meet. If you receive a poor education then you are going to be less intelligent in later life, I doubt it has much to do with your ethnicity.


^This, I completely agree.
Reply 5
Avatar for dark-blue
dark-blue
10
I agree that the statement seems shocking, and like you say, a huge generalisation. As you also say, statistics support it, but the proble with those is that they don't rpove black people are less intelligent, just less intelligent by one person's definition (and probably a white person's one at that).

In short, I think my opinion is that no, no ethnicity is intrinsically less intelligent, but as research shows, this country's education system disadvantages some ethnic minorities meaning there is a perceived difference in things like results. (In all fairness, I don't think these disadvantages are intentional nowsdays.)

I agree that such statements are socially sensitive as they could lead to negative stereotypes/ self fulfilling prophecies, but hopefully they will lead to something being done about the problem.
Original post by PythianLegume
And you don't think you're stupid?
She meant that similar threads are really common.




^This, I completely agree.


Clearly, I knew she was being sarcastic, hence my emoticon. :colonhash:
Original post by dark-blue
In short, I think my opinion is that no, no ethnicity is intrinsically less intelligent, but as research shows, this country's education system disadvantages some ethnic minorities meaning there is a perceived difference in things like results. (In all fairness, I don't think these disadvantages are intentional nowsdays.)


How does our system disadvantage ethnic minorities? Just because black people under-perform, does not mean the system is letting them down. I suppose you could possibly claim that teachers have lower expectations of those pupils, but as I see it, the problem is mostly social, not educational.
Reply 8
Avatar for Syrokal
Syrokal
Generally looking at the global population...they are.

But that's more to do with education and social circumstance than any predisposed inclination to intelligence.

Now mexicans.....that's different.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by PythianLegume
How does our system disadvantage ethnic minorities? Just because black people under-perform, does not mean the system is letting them down. I suppose you could possibly claim that teachers have lower expectations of those pupils, but as I see it, the problem is mostly social, not educational.


Whilst that may be true to some extent, I do believe that it becomes cemented, especially when such pupils conform to stereotypes.

But, yes, indeed, the factors are largely to do with socioeconomic matters.
Original post by Syrokal
Generally looking at the global population...they are.

But that's more to do with education and social circumstance than any predisposed inclination to intelligence.

Now mexicans.....that's different.


What? :lolwut:
Reply 11
Avatar for Syrokal
Syrokal
Original post by HumanSupremacist
What? :lolwut:


You know exactly where im going with this...
Original post by PythianLegume
How does our system disadvantage ethnic minorities? Just because black people under-perform, does not mean the system is letting them down. I suppose you could possibly claim that teachers have lower expectations of those pupils, but as I see it, the problem is mostly social, not educational.


Perhaps that was the wrong word to use :colondollar:.

But yes, I was meaning problems such as labelling, subcultures etc. Some would make a case for the ethnocentric curriculum.

There are also links to problems with class, as one of the previous users posted, poorer people are less likely to "succeed" educationally, and certain ethnics groups are likely to from poorer backgrounds than thier white counterparts.

Of course, there are exceptions, but I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if certain groups are consistently under-performing, then people working in education have a duty to help them.
Original post by jaffa1
from an evolutionary perspective, it wouldnt suprise me if black people were generally less intelligent than white people because black people are generally stronger, taller, healthier and better adapted to radiation than white people. the women have louder better singing voices (so can communicate more effectively) and the men are more muscular with larger penises (so are more attractive)

so on that basis, black people wouldnt need to be intelligent as white people in order to survive


Ah, but think about where they developed. You can't outrun a cheetah, so you've got to be smart enough to beat it in other ways. But a badger? Any fool can outrun/kick that wannabe-panda in the face.
Original post by jaffa1
from an evolutionary perspective, it wouldnt suprise me if black people were generally less intelligent than white people because black people are generally stronger, taller, healthier and better adapted to radiation than white people. the women have louder better singing voices (so can communicate more effectively) and the men are more muscular with larger penises (so are more attractive)

so on that basis, black people wouldnt need to be intelligent as white people in order to survive and reproduce their genes

Be careful, you might pull your intestines out
Reply 15
Avatar for Xotol
Xotol
14
I think you'll have to first define intelligence (or what type of intelligence you are looking at) and then look at accurate ways of measuring it. IQ tests or academic success all have their documented flaws.

Even then, there will be such a variety of socio-economic factors that it's incredibly difficult to carry out a truly fair assessment.

Original post by HumanSupremacist
For example, if I were to have a child, and tell him/her that "Look, you're actually stupid because you're black" and I were to present him/her with the statistics to back it up and tell him "Look, poor sub-Saharan Africans performed much worse on tests than Europeans and East Asians and Jews" - how exactly would this benefit him? Would this not impede his progress?


For some people, it could serve as a motivator. Hard work can overcome natural intelligence in a lot of situations. Actually, natural intelligence is overrated and useless without hard work.
Original post by jaffa1
from an evolutionary perspective, it wouldnt suprise me if black people were generally less intelligent than white people because black people are generally stronger, taller, healthier and better adapted to radiation than white people. the women have louder better singing voices (so can communicate more effectively) and the men are more muscular with larger penises (so are more attractive)

so on that basis, black people wouldnt need to be intelligent as white people in order to survive and reproduce their genes


I have to wonder how you'll be reproducing your genes, with your quiet singing voice, small penis, low-level adaptation to radiation, and very shaky grasp of evolutionary theory.
Reply 17
Avatar for geetar
geetar
16
'Intelligence' is a social construct rather than a biological one, so no, I don't agree with that assertion.
I do not see the point of all these threads..
Edit: it's unfair that the majority of TSR don't understand simple statistics. I have gotten lots of negs AND insults for this post, but people stop replying as soon as I give them a simple explanation. Click this link before you make any judgements:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2290774&page=7&p=41861925#post41861925

If you take all black and white people and measure their intelligence very accurately, white people would score higher than black people on average. The reason for that is simple statistics: there are more white people than black people in the world.

If you do the same experiment with blue and brown eyed people, you will find that brown eyed people are on average more intelligent, because there are more brown eyed people in the world. Do that to any two groups of people (blond vs brown haired, tall vs short, etc) and you'll find the same thing: the majority group will always win.

Oh and I also agree with OP about socio-economic status playing a part.
(edited 11 years ago)

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