Is average IQ self-limiting?
“The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections.” — from the movie Idiocracy
Once upon a time, Hollywood produced a movie titled Idiocracy, centered around the notion that as societies progress, they may ultimately be dominated by individuals with mediocre intelligence.
The fundamental premise of this concept was elucidated within the initial five minutes of the movie. The scene depicted a high IQ couple engrossed in their careers and aspirations, consistently postponing the idea of starting a family to an indefinite future (which never happens).
This portrayal was contrasted with a lower IQ family where children seemed to multiply without restraint.
The protagonist of the movie, arising five hundred years into the future after a flawed government hibernation experiment, discovers himself in a society overwhelmingly governed by individuals with diminished intellectual capacities. Adding to the tendency for high IQ individuals to have less children, the devolution toward lower IQ was further expedited by corporations providing technologies that render intelligence and physical prowess obsolete for survival.
In this dystopian realm, technological exoskeletons empower everyone with artificial strength and principles of nature are overridden.
Is such a scenario of a decrease in IQ plausible?
There already exists evidence suggesting a decline in average IQ, particularly in developed countries. Two factors can be hypothesized to contribute to this decline. Firstly, individuals with higher IQs tend to have lower birth rates. Secondly, technological tools can nullify the evolutionary advantages associated with heightened intellect and physical fitness.
Thus, it is conceivable that in the centuries to come, a growing fraction of the global population may be dominated by individuals with lower IQ. While the average IQ of societies might initially rise at the dawn of civilization, it could subsequently decline as already indicated by current trends.
This downward trajectory may even culminate in the self-destruction of civilizations implying that IQ and progress of civilizations could be a self-limiting process. Speculating on the possibility that extraterrestrial visitors are absent due to a similar decline in their intelligence adds an intriguing layer of outcome to this hypothesis.
If this conjecture holds true, envisioning the future of humanity becomes a fascinating exercise.
The future world may resemble the one in the movie Matrix, with the majority of the population tethered to virtual reality sets and sustenance provided through feeding tubes, each person existing in their individually constructed, alternate realities. In this disconnected existence, the remnants of humanity continue to navigate a world that has surrendered to the seductive allure of simulated experiences.
Yet, in the shadows of this virtual dystopia, a select few control over the intricate workings of the Matrix. These few manipulate the narratives of billions, dictating their perceptions and experiences in the fabricated realms. As the masses unknowingly follow the whims of the puppet masters, the line between reality and illusion is blurred, leaving humanity caught in a web of artificial consciousness, controlled by those who hold the keys to the virtual kingdom.
Who knows, that is what we already are.
Ciao.
Also see:
Western IQs drop by 14 points in last century
An intelligence crisis could undermine our problem-solving capacities and dim the prospects of the global economy
