“There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.” ― George Orwell What Orwell really should have said is, “There are some ideas so absurd that only a midwit could believe them.” By its very definition, IQ (intelligence quotient) is a Gaussian distribution of some measure approximating human intelligence. There are valid concerns about the measure due to the inability to return the same result for the same individual over time. Furthermore, attempts to discredit the IQ test exist out of a backlash against people like Charles Murray suggesting racial differences in average IQ scores. These objections to IQ are valid, but outside the scope of this essay. All that matters here is that human intelligence is variable, and most people are somewhere in the middle.
A fascinating thesis. I'm not sure I agree with it completely, because the determining factor in how one apprehends the pandemic narrative is not a matter of intelligence per se but rather introspection--one has to concede the possibility that data source X might simply be wrong.
It is not an exercise of intelligence to argue that Anthony Fauci is "the science", but of prejudice and bias. Such arguments are inherently emotional in nature, and thus are outside the realm of rational thought.
Which is how otherwise intelligent-seeming people can be eternally chained to propositions that cannot be defended with even middling logic.
The "idiot" who trusts his instincts is thus more intellectually astute than the "midwit" or even the "genius", as his position requires he be aware of the possibility for information to be wrong.
However, the proposition that a great number of people are not willing to introspectively examine not just new information but also their own predicates and presuppositions describes the current hysteria over COVID-19 quite well.
Awesome article. I've been trying to wrap my brain around how so many people could outright reject some Covid treatments due to lack of studies showing efficacy, while at the same time accepting the use of thin, poor fitting paper masks for prevention. They are the same people who rushed their children to get an untested shot for a virus that has killed healthy children at a near statistical 0%.
Great article and a lot of food for thought. I believe you pointed out something very real -- although I don't think I'm at all a genius, your description of the genius-style analysis and synthesis of information describes my own mental processes pretty well.
Two further issues raised by your piece: (1) whether this is this the inevitable result of an overproduction of elites, with EVERYONE pushed towards higher ed regardless of intellectual acumen; and (2) whether the phenomenon you noted is related specifically to right-brain functioning rather than overall intellect.
Regarding the overproduction of elites, I have been stunned to see the lack of intelligence among so many prominent pundits in our culture's mainstream media. I had grown up with an assumption that people who went to Ivy League schools and went on to write for the Washington Post and NY Times were, in fact, intelligent. 50 years ago that probably was true, but the past few years -- especially the coverage of COVID and racial/gender issues -- have completely disabused me of that notion. What is to blame for this? DEI and affirmative action mandates lowering standards? Schools hijacked by SJW cult members teaching what to think instead of how to think?
Huge fun article.
Now, I'm not a genius, but I am awake to the globalists' depop, so I must be an idiot.
What a fantastic article. Thank you! Absolutely fascinating.
👏👏👏👏👏👍❤
Bravo your highness!
Now let's post this in social media, sit back and watch who blows up on this and starts ad hominem attacks on her majesty. There in be the midwits.
i think most readers of substack would be in the >2%
its an interesting exercise to reread this and replace the word midwit with policeman or politician or journalist
A fascinating thesis. I'm not sure I agree with it completely, because the determining factor in how one apprehends the pandemic narrative is not a matter of intelligence per se but rather introspection--one has to concede the possibility that data source X might simply be wrong.
It is not an exercise of intelligence to argue that Anthony Fauci is "the science", but of prejudice and bias. Such arguments are inherently emotional in nature, and thus are outside the realm of rational thought.
Which is how otherwise intelligent-seeming people can be eternally chained to propositions that cannot be defended with even middling logic.
The "idiot" who trusts his instincts is thus more intellectually astute than the "midwit" or even the "genius", as his position requires he be aware of the possibility for information to be wrong.
However, the proposition that a great number of people are not willing to introspectively examine not just new information but also their own predicates and presuppositions describes the current hysteria over COVID-19 quite well.
I know I'm not a midwit, so I'm either an idiot or a genius
probably an idiot
but I'd rather be an idiot than a redditor
Awesome article. I've been trying to wrap my brain around how so many people could outright reject some Covid treatments due to lack of studies showing efficacy, while at the same time accepting the use of thin, poor fitting paper masks for prevention. They are the same people who rushed their children to get an untested shot for a virus that has killed healthy children at a near statistical 0%.
Great article and a lot of food for thought. I believe you pointed out something very real -- although I don't think I'm at all a genius, your description of the genius-style analysis and synthesis of information describes my own mental processes pretty well.
Two further issues raised by your piece: (1) whether this is this the inevitable result of an overproduction of elites, with EVERYONE pushed towards higher ed regardless of intellectual acumen; and (2) whether the phenomenon you noted is related specifically to right-brain functioning rather than overall intellect.
Regarding the overproduction of elites, I have been stunned to see the lack of intelligence among so many prominent pundits in our culture's mainstream media. I had grown up with an assumption that people who went to Ivy League schools and went on to write for the Washington Post and NY Times were, in fact, intelligent. 50 years ago that probably was true, but the past few years -- especially the coverage of COVID and racial/gender issues -- have completely disabused me of that notion. What is to blame for this? DEI and affirmative action mandates lowering standards? Schools hijacked by SJW cult members teaching what to think instead of how to think?
As for the right brain vs left brain issue, Iain McGilchrist has done some fascinating work in this area. This substack series on "Escaping Mass Psychosis" by Winston Smith does a good job presenting these ideas: https://escapingmasspsychosis.substack.com/p/the-master-betrayed-1?r=sow8t&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web, as does this article "Science vs Joinence" on John Carter's substack "Postcards from Barsoom:" https://barsoom.substack.com/p/science-vs-joiance?s=r
Anyway, great article. Thanks for writing and providing some great ideas to chew on.
It's not a "mostly asymptotic virus" at all, so the last picture is a fail.