Topic: Are DUers smarter than the average citizen?

[placton]

The whole Iraq/Afganistan thing was predicted by us average DUers (evil-DUers, per the right). Is it because we are more intelligent than the average US citizen? How can it be that Bush's daily numbers (per Rasmussen poll) are rising? Do we on this forum possess some uncanny ability to predict the future?

Our predictions about almost everything the Bushies have done (tax cuts, rape of the environment, education) have been right on the money. And yet nearly 1/2 the populace still support (and believes?) the current wrecking crew in Washington.

So, are we geniuses, or do we only seem so because much of the populace are too stupid to breathe?

[trumad]

1. Yes

[Sticky]

4. Yes

....but it's a heavy burden.

[ithacan]

2. no

we just have access to so much information that most Americans will never see because they are limited by whatever Fox and CNN decides to tell them.

[bicentennial_baby]

3. Nope

Just better informed than your average bear.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

5. We're better informed.

[SoCalDem]

6. Of course we are.. We use intellect , rather than blind faith..

The "other side" seems so eager to "attach" themselves to their weiner winner, whether he deserves their faith or not.. "Winning" is all they care about.. They are unwilling to let facts sway their beliefs one iota..

They would rather "play the game", and follow blindly, even if it means that loved ones get killed in the process..

People followed Jim Jones
People followed David Koresh

[JohnLocke]

7. Most -- some are better informed, but have less common sense.

[Warren Stuart]

8. Half of the general population has a triple digit IQ

And assuming a normal distribution, half of DUers don't.

You can make the argument that the population of DU is not normally distributed, but you would have a hard time convincing me.

[cryofan]

11. I thnk they are a little smarter, as are habitual Internet users

DUers are a bit smarter than the general population, I find. And freepers are also a little bit smarter. But there is a small fraction of DUers who are really well informed and educated, and that fraction here at DU is larger than that fraction at FR.

[LeahMira]

9. No smarter as a group...

So, are we geniuses, or do we only seem so because much of the populace are too stupid to breathe?

No, we aren't any smarter generally. We're just more interested in these kinds of things. Some of us may have a talent when it comes to sorting through the information, researching, and analyzing... but some don't.

I don't imagine that anyone, either DU or FR, responds very well to being seen as "too stupid to breathe."

[DarkPhenyx]

10. No.

I think it would be safer to say that we are equally stupid.

[Career Prole]

12. Yes.

That said, none of it was really all that hard to predict.
Reading competence at the seventh grade-level and more importantly a willingness to read would transform the bulk of the "Pavlov's Voters" into an informed electorate we could count on.

[onehandle]

13. Smarter than Freepers....

Of course that could still make us morans.

[Skittles]

14. well, I knew the history of the Middle East

I doubt many right wingnuts do.

[carolinayellowdog]

15. Better judges of character

Evidence and reason are on our side, but the other side has enough of both to pretend that theirs is better than ours. What they are totally lacking is a realistic apprecation of their standard bearer. Just his face and voice reveal him instantly as a greedy, lazy, ignorant, bullying boor, and some people just can't see this. Must be like color-blindness or inability to roll your tongue. Some people can recognize a villain and others can't.

[9215]

16. Modesty prevents me from

answering. :evilgrin:

[bleedingheart]

17. This site attracts people who are more interested in politics

I tend to think most people are intelligent...it is just that we all have diverse opinions and interests. I wish more people were interested in politics but alas it is one of those subjects that requires time for a lot of reading and many people prefer to spend that time on other stuff..

[Paradise]

18. some are geniuses, and

some only seem so because much of the populace are sheep. What we are, imo, is independent, thinking people with common sense, conscience, and an uncanny instinct for survival, as well as the survival of our democracy.
in other 'word', like trumad said, with breviloquence, "YES". :hi:

[argyl]

19. Yep.We're also better informed.I'm in Texas and have watched this

disaster unfold in slow motion for over ten years.I was telling people what a fraud Smirk was since before he announced his gubernatorial candidacy here in Texas.
For years I've felt like Cassandra,telling the truth about this moron but nobody believing me.Now,thank God,people are finally starting to see this smirking little SOB for what he really is.

[waldenx]

20. if we were "smart"

Bush would be in prison right now.
And Kerry would not be the nominee.