Why must we consistently degrade each other?

Question

What ever happened to united we stand, divided we fall?

Now, it seems we have this Machiavellian philosophy of divide and conquer, and books like The Bell Curve are substantial proof.

The Bell Curve, throughout a good portion of the book, basically implies that African Americans, Hispanics, and whites within the lower socio economic class are inferior where intelligence is concerned. It drives its point across with "so called" scientific research; However it seems to overlook all of the opposing evidence; for example, the fact that although certain aspects of intelligence are inherited, others are developed over time and according to experience and the environment in which one is subjected to. Also, the fact that intelligence can be measured on so many different levels, including academic (which measures the knowledge one has acquired over time), and according to age: spatial, The rate at which one processes information, problem solving skills, pattern recognition, and artistic ability. All cognitive functions which are developed and affected by external stimuli and experiences.

So, for arguments sake, taking a tribal person who has never been exposed to our lifestyle or received our level of education, and basing scores of their intelligence upon that very lifestyle would be nothing more than ethnocentric, and by that same concept, taking a person out of a lower income environment, which has its own subculture, and juxtaposing them to a higher class is also a biased method of measurement. One must consider the functions of intelligence that are valued and needed within a certain lifestyle. An intellectual lifestyle would value vocabulary, academic knowledge, and articulation. A working-class lifestyle would more likely value strength, social skills, and perhaps loyalty. A more concise measurement of ones intelligence would be best determined by comparing them to an average estimate of intelligence skills that lie within their culture. A person's inclination to utilize certain functions pertaining to intelligence is very much influenced by the culture and environment in which they've been disposed to. We’ve seen that measurements of intelligence can change with the acquisition of newly learned

skills, knowledge, different experiences, changes in environment, mood, and interests.

Bottom line, even if certain aspects of intelligence are inherited, the fact that the mind can be re-conditioned and is susceptible to environment is a good indicator that depriving a class of people from a good education based on test scores is not only unethical, but damaging to society. After stripped of its guise to be shockingly informative, one can see that this book is nothing more than a veiled attempt at keeping the socio economic classes stratified; possibly because pride and power are so inherent to human nature, that one will always stake claim to superiority. It is also inherent to human nature to dream and strive.

Lets also not forget that a good portion of those that are homeless and/or living in poverty are

mentally ill. And mental illness is definitely not correlated with intelligence. Neither is

laziness.

Answer 1

It was the lawyers who threw the mentally ill in the streets.

Read the history of it.

The patients families wanted them in the hospitals.

The states wanted them in the hospitals.

The Federal Govt wanted them in the hospitals

The public wanted them in the hospitals.

As is always the case with our broken and hideous legal system, it only took one slick lawyer and one drug-addicted judge to destroy an entire system and lay to waste all fabric of common sense and decency.

Back to your main argument about intelligence - I don't care how much potential someone has. If they hang out with worthless people, particularly people who are on drugs and who accost them for "acting white", i don't want them living near me, because eventually, they will steal from me, or worse.

The only way to help these ghettodwellers is to take them out of their worthless homes and let someone else raise them. But that would be impossible.

How can a kid whose mother hates white people and preached daily how evil whitey is expect to accomplish anything.  NOt to mention, these people are drug addicts and live perpetual filth.

Answer 2

Now that we read your rant,please do some open-minded research.It's not about degrading others.It's about accepting differences so that you aren't looking down on others when they fail.Look at education.The bar has been lowered for everyone so that the statistics show equality among all races.Look at the pc-media.They avoid minority crime,and overplay majority crime.And as you do,sneer at studies and statistics.Look at the entitlement programs and preferential treatment over the past 40 years.Has that worked?No,we know it hasn't.http://www.reversespins.com/pcmarx.html

Answer 3

It is the majority that is demonized.And you should know that the book you cite has never been refuted.Just "degraded".The people that speak openly with empirical studies are vilified.The work is ignored.There is no compassion in the PC proponents brainwashing our youth.They want division and strife.

Answer 4

It's all in the way you think of others not what someone else thinks......Funny we are easy to believe in the thoughts of man but not God......Blessings Yahoo

Answer 5

Good post, I agree. The Bell Curve is so bloody lame, it's how you are raised even more then genetics, race and any other factor. The high-nosed people who created the bell curve can shove it back up their asses.

Answer 6

haha i totally agree with patti

Answer 7

Well,it is pretty one-sided since the Marxist programs took root in the West.Environment has little to do with charcter or intellect.If we accept the obvious that people can inherit good looks or athletic ability.Why is it we deny the subjects of intellect and behavior?It is because history shows us it is true.And instead of accepting it,we deny it,and handicap the brightest in our twisted world.It isn't a "superiority" issue at all.People are different.It's insnae to deny that fact.Bet you didn't know that Blacks came up with their own studies to refute the Bell Curve,that only buttressed the work.They filled it with Ebonics and other offbeat tests and the scores remained the same.

Answer 8

If you want to know why the schools in low income areas are atrocious you need only look at the Teachers Union and the Leadership of many Ethnic communities.

It is astounding that they reserve no responsibility for themselves and continue to ask those that have risen up on their own merits to pay more out of our income for a failed system.

If you vote for Obama, you will vote for increased funding for a Welfare state that objectifies its recipients and creates cyclical poverty.

Answer 9

I'm pretty sure that people don't believe how difficult it is to be mentally ill. How those people have no choice but to try and be as well as they can. Medication is only a panacea. It doesn't cure all symptoms.

These people may appear normal (Britney Spears anyone), but many of them even with medication cannot work, even at menial low-paying jobs. They aren't lazy or stupid.