

The genetics of politics (2012) - Tideflat
http://www.economist.com/node/21564191

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monochr
"Now, however, the pendulum is swinging back."

Yes, "now". It's not like books such as the the bell curve were published
during the whole period from 1940 to today.

The problem is that when you go back and read those books they are sexist,
racist, misogynistic, paternalistic and borderline fascist. So every decade or
so you need to pretend academia has unfairly tarred modern research into these
topic with the gilt by association from the past.

The unfortunate fact that they just reproduce the least disgusting "findings"
of the past with the same methods is just glossed over.

Reading the Bell Curve today you already see all of the above inside it only
after 20 years. But I'm sure _this time_ it will be different.

"In 2010 a study published by Dr Fowler and his colleagues implicated a gene
known as DRD4 in the development of political affiliation."

Yes, totally different.

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8957a7e86
Which specific claims from The Bell Curve do you disagree with? The most
contentious point, regarding racial differences in IQ, has been confirmed many
times.

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monochr
It is a 1000+ page book. Many have said more than should have been said about
it. My problem with it starts from the premise that IQ measures anything other
than the ability to think like the middle class designers of the tests want
you to think.

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8957a7e86
The premise is supported by mountains of evidence that IQ (despite being a
crude, one-dimensional measure of intelligence) is predictive of intellectual
achievements and economic success, in individuals and populations.

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monochr
So long as you don't look too close at the data. From the Flinn effect to the
fact that IQ tests predict parenatal incomes mich better than future earnings
the best thing you can say about the test is that it measures willingness to
to arbitrary meaningless tasks for long periods of time. A very good predictor
for success in most office jobs.

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milspec
The Flinn effect has run out of steam. We're starting to creep the other way,
as one would predict.

