Study: Environment trumps genes
Published March 27, 2004
Steve Sailer, the liason of choice between traditional white supremacists such as the neo-Confederates and 'genetic realists' (believers in 'modern' genetic inferiority) offers a equally dunderheaded 'rebuttal.' Consider this effort to dismiss the study because it is of children, as nearly all studies of IQ are.
. . .The older people get, the more impact genes have on their IQ test scores, probably because as people get more autonomous they choose to make for themselves environments more compatible with their own genes than the environment their parents provided them with.
Most people lose a few IQ points as they stop using some of the skills they learned in school. However, Sailer has exaggerated that fact to support his obsession — the alleged genetic inferiority of black people. For him, African-Americans must have low IQs or else. And, note the source he is citing to try to discredit the new research agrees with Turkheimer, not him. Poor thinking does not get much worse than serial underachiever Sailer's. (Hmmm. Does shilling for Right Wing hack house UPI because he is too inept to get a job with real media mean Sailer has accepted his intellectual limitations?)
Fortunately, most people in Bloggersville are not so insecure that they run screaming from the thought of black people being just as intelligent as any other group like the ghouls at Gene Expression and their 'advisor,' Sailer.
Tapped gets it:
Stated simply, the study found that environmental factors loom much larger in the development of children when they have a low socioeconomic status, and much smaller when they have a high one. What this suggests is that for people on the lower end of the totem pole, a bad environment — that is, high rates of crime, concentrated poverty, crumbling schools — can overwhelm those otherwise predisposed to high achievement, while people born into a more positive environment, with a wide array of opportunities, are more likely to get a chance to express their natural gifts and abilities. This makes sense intuitively, but it also has some precedent in the natural world.
- Study: Environment trumps genes
- Published: March 27, 2004
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- Section: Politics
- Writer: Mac Diva
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Any vewpoint, divergent from the racial fundamentalist progressive one, is sure to draw an unpleasant wail of rightous indignation from certain zealous elements here at B.C.
OK, Here is a tame question. Why would it be, that white supremacists would think asians their intellectual superiors? Are they just happy being second best? Is it a trick? to make their story more plausible?
Hmm. Environment trumps genes. I could not agree more and I believe I made this very point although on another totally different topic ( whether homosexuality is genetic) and some of you argued against it. If it's sauce for the goose, it's sauce for the gander. We can not agree with it only when it suits our opinions.
It is what it is. I could not agree more with this conclusion.
I was one of the people who said the nature v. nurture issue is far from resolved in regard to homosexuality, Sandra. My inclination is to think both genes and environment are involved. But, I don't know in what degrees.
White supremacists sometimes say gays are smarter than whites, but they don't mean Asians are superior to whites. They limit the 'smarter than,' remarks to certain areas of intelligence tests. Then, they go on to declare Asians inferior in other ways. A favorite is to say they are 'little brown brothers,' who can't govern themselves and need "Great White Fathers' to do so for them. That has been the underlying basis for colonialism and imperialism in Asia, as well as in Africa.
People like Dan Precht (who believes Rosa Parks might have deserved an assault she suffered), Al Barger, Blog Bloke, etc., are superior persons according to the white is right lobby. The rest of us are children of a lesser God who should accept their leadership. It is a conclusion that is both pitiful and laughable.
Hold on just a second, Macdiva. Al Barger? A superior person? What on earth are you on? What are you smoking? Or what are you popping?;) Will it help me sleep? I VANT ZE name now! and the dealer/doctor. LOL..goodness! mmmm..that's relaxed me a tad. I'll drink some tea and then I will probably sleep easy, quietly amused.
I mean the mere thought of Al Barger as a superior person..lol..if I wasn't so tired, I would be in hysterics. Might do another run through of the above tomorrow. Just for amusement value.
Yes, Sandra. According to the white supremacists, we should look up to the Al Bargers of the world. That in itself, is adequate to show they are out of their minds.
I'm pretty sure Al Barger doesn't even care about such a thing as superiority. His graceful humbleness precludes him from concern. You would never hear him go on about having a "jaw droppingly high IQ score", for instance.
(Snickering.) I should think not. Al Barger is not a smart man by any reasonable measure.
MD it is so typical of you to bash people like the Bloke when he's not even here to defend himself. Nowhere have I read anything that could even remotely justify the sorry crap that oozes from your putrid mouth. Yes this is certainly a compelling post. Even more telling is the volumes that it speaks about your sorry ass. If ever there was an argument for low IQ and environment you certainly are the benchmark from which all others are measured (snicker :).
Good piece, MD, and I agree with your conclusion: this is one area where government intervention in the form of some cash and a lot of common sense would benefit the entire society.
As to "The Bell Curve," I hadn't realized anyone was still taking it seriously. This country definitely needs education (pre- and post-school).
Any vewpoint, divergent from the racial fundamentalist progressive one, is sure to draw an unpleasant wail of rightous indignation from certain zealous elements here at B.C.
OK, Here is a tame question. Why would it be, that white supremacists would think asians their intellectual superiors? Are they just happy being second best? Is it a trick? to make their story more plausible?
Hmm. Environment trumps genes. I could not agree more and I believe I made this very point although on another totally different topic ( whether homosexuality is genetic) and some of you argued against it. If it's sauce for the goose, it's sauce for the gander. We can not agree with it only when it suits our opinions.
It is what it is. I could not agree more with this conclusion.
I was one of the people who said the nature v. nurture issue is far from resolved in regard to homosexuality, Sandra. My inclination is to think both genes and environment are involved. But, I don't know in what degrees.
White supremacists sometimes say gays are smarter than whites, but they don't mean Asians are superior to whites. They limit the 'smarter than,' remarks to certain areas of intelligence tests. Then, they go on to declare Asians inferior in other ways. A favorite is to say they are 'little brown brothers,' who can't govern themselves and need "Great White Fathers' to do so for them. That has been the underlying basis for colonialism and imperialism in Asia, as well as in Africa.
People like Dan Precht (who believes Rosa Parks might have deserved an assault she suffered), Al Barger, Blog Bloke, etc., are superior persons according to the white is right lobby. The rest of us are children of a lesser God who should accept their leadership. It is a conclusion that is both pitiful and laughable.
Hold on just a second, Macdiva. Al Barger? A superior person? What on earth are you on? What are you smoking? Or what are you popping?;) Will it help me sleep? I VANT ZE name now! and the dealer/doctor. LOL..goodness! mmmm..that's relaxed me a tad. I'll drink some tea and then I will probably sleep easy, quietly amused.
I mean the mere thought of Al Barger as a superior person..lol..if I wasn't so tired, I would be in hysterics. Might do another run through of the above tomorrow. Just for amusement value.
Yes, Sandra. According to the white supremacists, we should look up to the Al Bargers of the world. That in itself, is adequate to show they are out of their minds.
I'm pretty sure Al Barger doesn't even care about such a thing as superiority. His graceful humbleness precludes him from concern. You would never hear him go on about having a "jaw droppingly high IQ score", for instance. (Snickering.) I should think not. Al Barger is not a smart man by any reasonable measure.
MD it is so typical of you to bash people like the Bloke when he's not even here to defend himself. [Personal attack deleted]
The sock puppet has spoken.
What is this story about???
"What is this story about???"
Scientific denial, anger, and racial resentment.
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/14108)
Good piece, MD, and I agree with your conclusion: this is one area where government intervention in the form of some cash and a lot of common sense would benefit the entire society.
As to "The Bell Curve," I hadn't realized anyone was still taking it seriously. This country definitely needs education (pre- and post-school).