5 ComplaintsThat I Always See On ATS (That Are Statistically B.S.)

I just came across this article, and I found it really interesting, I don't know if this has been posted yet, if it has my bad.

• "Everything Is So Expensive."
  
• "People Are Getting Stupider."
  
• "All This Processed Food Is Killing Us."
  
• "Crime Is Out of Control."
  
• Today's Music Is All Derivative Trash."
  

In general, it's easier to be negative. It's easier for us at Cracked, because it's easier to write jokes about terrible things than nice things. It's easier for us as a generation, because to admit that the world isn't that bad right now would be to admit that we have it easier than our grandparents did and that the world thus has the right to expect more from us. But as much as we like to joke about the sorry state of the world, the facts really don't back us up.

The full article.

reply to post by Rockdisjoint


Humans might actually be getting dumber though.

www.npr.org...

Cro-Magnon man, who lived in Europe 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, had the biggest brains of any human species. In comparison, today's human brain is about 10 percent smaller. It's a chunk of brain matter "roughly equivalent to a tennis ball in size," McAuliffe says.

The experts aren't sure about the implications of this evolutionary trend. Some think it might be a dumbing-down process. One cognitive scientist, David Geary, argues that as human society grows increasingly complex, individuals don't need to be as intelligent in order to survive and reproduce.

But not all researchers are so pessimistic. Brian Hare, an anthropologist at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences, thinks the decrease in brain size is actually an evolutionary advantage.

Brian size actually is correlated with IQ.

Its interesting stuff, particularly if you believe in things like the "Illuminati." Human beings are exhibiting signs of "domestication." If we are exhibiting signs of domestication, and becoming so much more passive and tame, who is it that is domesticating us? It certainly begs the question of whether or not wolves are tending the flock.

I see dumb people everyday.And it has been increasing!
We need a little thinning of the herd,so to speak.

reply to post by Rockdisjoint



Today's Music Is All Derivative Trash."

I am interested in hearing how you would consider this one B.S.


Take your time , I'll wait ......

Hmm...I don't know that I necessarily agree with three out of five of those.

Things are statistically more expensive looking back over the course of most of our current lifetimes. Them going back to when most of us weren't even alive, to the 50s, or wherever, isn't really making their case for me. My parents bought their brand new house 40 years ago for far less than I paid for my last car, and I don't really make proportionately that much more than my dad did at the time. It may not really be the reality we're worried about so much as how it's all trending, with things like utilities, food, and gas chipping away at out paychecks as the cost of living raises and hourly wages decline.

Dumb is not necessarily equatable to and encompass a lot of ancillary behaviors that have little or nothing to do with IQ. I think they've taken this one far too literally.

Processed and fake food is killing us. If you don't get that at a gut level, you never will. They're comparing apples and oranges here.

Crime is not out of control. I'll give them this one. It's a perception and coverage thing.

I never see the derivative music comment, but that's probably because I just don't float in those circles, so I'll give them this one with them for their final grade.

And speaking of their final grade—40%. Fail. But it was cool reading it and the comments anyway.

I see dumb people!

Better than seeing dead people!

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
reply to post by Rockdisjoint

 

Humans might actually be getting dumber though.

www.npr.org...

Cro-Magnon man, who lived in Europe 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, had the biggest brains of any human species. In comparison, today's human brain is about 10 percent smaller. It's a chunk of brain matter "roughly equivalent to a tennis ball in size," McAuliffe says.

The experts aren't sure about the implications of this evolutionary trend. Some think it might be a dumbing-down process. One cognitive scientist, David Geary, argues that as human society grows increasingly complex, individuals don't need to be as intelligent in order to survive and reproduce.

But not all researchers are so pessimistic. Brian Hare, an anthropologist at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences, thinks the decrease in brain size is actually an evolutionary advantage.

Brian size actually is correlated with IQ.

Its interesting stuff, particularly if you believe in things like the "Illuminati." Human beings are exhibiting signs of "domestication." If we are exhibiting signs of domestication, and becoming so much more passive and tame, who is it that is domesticating us? It certainly begs the question of whether or not wolves are tending the flock.

Brian size???

Anyway, wasn't Einsteins brain a little smaller than average?

reply to post by crazydaisy


Stupid is what Stupid does..........That's what my Momma always used to say ......

Thanks for the article.

First of all, you have the fact that the crap from previous eras gets forgotten, leaving only the great stuff behind. Those songs on classic rock stations are obviously cherry-picked as the best and most indicative of an entire era; it's not a random sampling of all the music available at the time.

Sounds like a market there for the crappy old songs that never made it

"KRP-fm - All the horrid crap, from way, way, back! Coming up - the B Side hour"
Set up a web based radio station, and all the songs are possibly outta copyright.

Originally posted by Pastafarian

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
reply to post by Rockdisjoint

 

Humans might actually be getting dumber though.

www.npr.org...

Cro-Magnon man, who lived in Europe 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, had the biggest brains of any human species. In comparison, today's human brain is about 10 percent smaller. It's a chunk of brain matter "roughly equivalent to a tennis ball in size," McAuliffe says.

The experts aren't sure about the implications of this evolutionary trend. Some think it might be a dumbing-down process. One cognitive scientist, David Geary, argues that as human society grows increasingly complex, individuals don't need to be as intelligent in order to survive and reproduce.

But not all researchers are so pessimistic. Brian Hare, an anthropologist at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences, thinks the decrease in brain size is actually an evolutionary advantage.

Brian size actually is correlated with IQ.

Its interesting stuff, particularly if you believe in things like the "Illuminati." Human beings are exhibiting signs of "domestication." If we are exhibiting signs of domestication, and becoming so much more passive and tame, who is it that is domesticating us? It certainly begs the question of whether or not wolves are tending the flock.

Brian size???

Anyway, wasn't Einsteins brain a little smaller than average?

Einstein was a genius because the two hemispheres of his brain were more closed fused together than the average human brain
wrae.tumblr.com...

Albert Einstein’s brain in picture C, you can see where the two different sulci are fused. this is why neuroscientists think that einstein was so good at math and physics because the fusion allowed more communication between the two brain areas that involves thinking about abstract mathematical and physics things.

If you want to learn more about the topic of how people are getting more stupid these days, do check out this video. I had a solid laugh when someone who was interviewed did not know how many sides a triangle had!!!

This video should have been titled the most stupidest people in the world!!!

Most intelligent people in the world

Everything Is So Expensive:
The argument that technology has gotten cheaper due to manufacturing costs being reduced does not mean that the argument that "everything is so expensive" is invalid when considering the basic costs of living. While this article clearly shows that the cost of living has stayed comparitive for the type of job - it neglects the fact that this type of job now blankets the majority of the market. The example used of a service job does not make any mention of the fact that even most qualified people these days still work in a service job but they have loans etc to pay for their education. While this was a great article I feel they are presenting facts to match their argument not an argument to match the facts - hence they have left out comparisons such as this. Technology will always become cheaper - the question is are we paying more for a technology based off how many people have it - a hard thing to compare, but this would start to paint the real picture, the value of everything is based off supply and demand so this is what should be getting compared IMO.

People Are Getting Stupider:
No issue with this one, I think this is something we say out of frustration - but I think we could show some groups are becoming collectively 'stupider'.

All This Processed Food Is Killing Us:
While prior to 1966 food may have not required labels they did not have the exposure to sythetic chemicals that our current industrial and agricultural sectors do. And while companies are held accountable if it can be proven they are poisoning us - you must first prove a direct relationship between the food and the effects in a certain quantity - But as we all know these effects can take years, even generations in some cases to become aparent - and by that time those responisble are long gone.

Crime Is Out of Control:
The word 'crime' in itself is very broad. For example murder rates could be dropping - and being recorded as such, but petty crimes could be increasing - also a bigger issue is if crimes are actually reported.


Today's Music Is All Derivative Trash
Music is in the eye of the beholder and an opinion so I think we can argue it is derivative trash or that it is not and know we are right for a fact.



I do agree it is easier to be negative overall - but that does not mean there are not good reasons for people to be really disgruntled with the way our world is heading - we have more than enough proof that corruption is rampant, but no statistics or way to measure it. We have no way to measure most of this stuff, so as much as this was an interesting read I feel most the arguments lacked the overview required to present this as fact and not opinion.

Things getting more expensive is just due to inflation.

I'd have to agree that people are getting dumber, someone made a post here on ATS about people being asked easy questions such as when 9-11 happened and where is the capital of the United States and they didn't know the answers.
In my opinion I'd rather have people with common sense around me than a genius. I know some very intelligent people but when it comes to common sense they are dumber than a rock. Don't get me wrong if it were not for them intelligent people we wouldn't be where we are today. But then again its just my opinion.

I do believe that there are certain chemicals/additives in foods these day that are harmful to us but not much we can do about that but grow a garden

As for crime being out of control well theres alot to take into account. Theres parents,society,increase in population. A example: A teenager these days can go out steal a car and get nothing but a slap on the wrist and released into there parents custody.

No comment on the music.

reply to post by Pastafarian


Are you trying to prove humans are getting stupider all on your own? Or do you think you are being clever?

One, it was a typo. Obviously. Secondly, One genius with a small brain does not disprove the correlation between high IQ and larger brain size. Thats not how statistics works, is it?


Lastly, there are other interesting things about Einsteins brain that may or may not help explain his genius. Some unique wiring.