Are people getting more intelligent or less so?
By Carl Halling
@CarlHalling (3617)
United Kingdom
March 28, 2008 7:02am CST
Or perhaps just staying the same? Some might say, where are the Leonardo da Vincis of today? the Beethovens? The Shakespeares? I would say...have you considered the internet? And other incredible advances in science and technology? Human genius as I see it is as thriving as it's ever been. Some might think different. Some may say we're smarter than ever...others that we are getting less intelligent? What is your take? What do you think?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I think the same amount of genius as there was in the past.What makes people think that we are getting dumber is that there are more stupid people or should I say people who don't have a clue. It seems like common sense isn't that common anymore.
1 person likes this
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
8 Apr 08
Yes, there is the same amount of genius, but many would say that this exists in the scientific/medical/technicals fields, perhaps less so in the artistic. At the same time, who knows how many Shakespeares, Debussys, Beethovens, Rembrandts, Turners &c., there are labouring away starving and neglected in garrets and hovels across our planet?!...
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
8 Apr 08
Only idiots think that genius is Only in science. To me there is more genius in a poem or a piece of music than any invention.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
12 Apr 08
I didn't understand or care about science. But math was a different story. I loved algebra.
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
29 Mar 08
I think perhaps we are getting more mental capacity, but less personal and spiritual knowledge. We have the intellect to do a lot of things, but not the humanity to sit back and enjoy all that our intellect allows us to do.
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@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
8 Apr 08
There is a line from poem, "What is Life if Full of Care, We Have no Time to Stand and Stare?" (WH Hudson "Leisure")
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@polachicago (18716)
• United States
29 Mar 08
We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true.
Robert Wilensky, speech at a 1996 conference
