Are we humans getting smarter all the time?

Question

I mean overall populations. Because I've noticed, that peoples IQ levels are getting higher every year.

Answer 1

I think we are evolving in some ways especially in technology.  But more intelligence comes more responsibility and problems.  For example,  when I was a kid we had Atari, I thought the games were fast and some where hard.  Now today we have PlayStation, x-box,etc.  These game systems make Atari look like a joke.  And if you ever go back and play one it is so slow and boring.  

But at the same time we are getting dumber and less self reliant.  Today we have the problem of identity theft and more easier access for sexual preditors because of the Internet.  Not many know how to do the basic survial things.  We are spoiling ourselves.

But the Internet and computers make things easier for us to do things.  No more writ ting reports by hand, no more snail mail.  But no need to learn how to spell cause of spell check.

I guess it is both ways

Answer 2

IQ levels are judged by humans so I feel they aren't necessarily a good measure of smarts. Some people are street smart others book smart. I think humans are losing certain skills and improving in others.

I think that your observation could be due to people having access to more information through the Internet and other media outlets therefore they may be getting "smarter."

Answer 3

i agree we know more stuff but in the near future kids brains are going 2 explode from the loads of stress teachers are putting on the kids

Answer 4

we r getin smrtr i think....

IQs are based on basic stuff. There is a lot more to smarts than book smarts.

Answer 5

The rising IQ is due to the Flynn effect, where IQ has been rising at about 3 points a decade in the developed world, making it about 30 points higher than in the Victorian era. This stabilized in the developed countries in the eighties though.

Evolution is a continuous process. We didn't leave Africa 100,000 years ago with every single mutation for intelligence that we now have. It's very likely that there's been a recent mutation for intelligence in the far East, as Asians score best on IQ tests. Also, some genes that have been linked to intelligence are pretty recent (MCPH1, ASPM).

There's a worry that the social welfare system is having a 'disgenic' effect, as it's lead to women with an low range IQ having about three times as many children as the women with high range IQ's. So people being this smart in 100 years is looking unlikely.

Answer 6

Our distant ancestors were not only more intelligent, they invented everything that makes our lives possible.

I'd rather hang with Og if I had to live in the natural world. He was really smart, wise, and capable.

We're not getting smarter, we're getting more artificially complex. And self-centered and spoiled. And less self-reliant.

Answer 7

yes, and that's thanks to the mass media. Today a kid learn more from TV and video games than before Just remember this in 40 years and a little kid has to be more smart than you or your son.

Answer 8

our IQ's may be higher because its alot easier and cheaper to get a better education these days, but id say people are getting dumber and dumber.

Answer 9

I think we are getting more knowledge and learning truths

and as far as common sense  yes and no.. but i do think we

are getting smarter but not always wiser.

Answer 10

not all of us answer plz http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 11

yes we are. we learn things everyday...

Answer 12

The Frenchman, Michel Montaigne said, "Your cat already knows more about you right now, than you could know about him/her in 9 lifetimes"...

Answer 13

Have you seen our youth of today? It's scary...

Answer 14

yea we're evolving all the time. i think we have the chance to get smarter. we just dont take advantage of that chance.

Answer 15

i think we know more stuff, but I don't necessarily think that people are smarter.

Answer 16

have you ever seen a movie called the idiocracy?

Answer 17

We are probably getting better educated if you don't mean just the US.  I doubt that would apply to the US.  IQ should never change for the whole population because 100 is average by definition.

Answer 18

Huh?

Answer 19

IQ is not based on KNOWLEDGE, it's based on intelligence people! stop saying its "book smarts" no its not! its actually INTELLIGENCE! it's not supposed to change for a normal person, even as you get older. it does however decline in old age, because your brain decays. I'm not sure about ppl getting smarter. I would see no reason for this to happen

Answer 20

There are different types of IQ and the standard IQ test does not test for them all.

Humans are not getting smarter.  Our technology is getting more advanced but technology does not indicate the intelligence of the people using it.

Answer 21

SURE, FREAK!