if it were possible for civilization to have developed when our species had a lower IQ, then we’d still be dealing with the same problems, but we’d have a lower IQ with which to tackle them.
On the other hand, so many of our problems are caused by other people, and some of them are caused by smart people. It took a lot of intelligence to make the financial crisis happen.
Now I’m wondering whether a more equal distribution of intelligence would lead to fewer problems.
I strongly suspect that fewer idiots would lead to fewer problems (but someone who knows that they are an idiot, and listens closely to the advice of more intelligent people, may cause fewer problems than an arrogant but more intelligent person who believes that no-one can give him good advice). However, I don’t think that fewer geniuses would dramatically reduce problems (on the basis that a problem caused by a genius is often temporary—like the financial crisis—while a problem solved by a genius—like the invention of X for a given X—is often solved permanently).
On the other hand, so many of our problems are caused by other people, and some of them are caused by smart people. It took a lot of intelligence to make the financial crisis happen.
Now I’m wondering whether a more equal distribution of intelligence would lead to fewer problems.
I strongly suspect that fewer idiots would lead to fewer problems (but someone who knows that they are an idiot, and listens closely to the advice of more intelligent people, may cause fewer problems than an arrogant but more intelligent person who believes that no-one can give him good advice). However, I don’t think that fewer geniuses would dramatically reduce problems (on the basis that a problem caused by a genius is often temporary—like the financial crisis—while a problem solved by a genius—like the invention of X for a given X—is often solved permanently).