You are welcome, Micro! It certainly puts into question the idea of progress! We've "progressed" so much that, on average, we (without the tech crutch) can't do half of what we could do more than a hundred years ago. With progress like this, how long before we can't tie our own shoe laces? I'd say about 500 years should do it!
What's disturbing to me is when I wonder how much of this is social, how much is education, and how much is -- possibly -- a real collapse in intelligence? We know (well, some of us know) that different countries have significantly different average IQs. Yes, ethnicity also shows variation.
It is both true, and a common wives tale, that IQ is biased -- but that is different from asking if it is objective. A good IQ test IS objective. Indeed, I understand they can quite accurately measure the IQ of pre-verbal infants by measuring brain wave response as various stimuli are applied.
A good question is what "we" can do about it. IQ is mostly genetic -- like height, or any other attribute where baseline is determined fundamentally by genetics. Nutrition, developmental environment, and accidents along the path of life LIMIT how much of IQ potential gets realized.
I don't think focusing on race is helpful, but it is only commonsense, and hopeful, that IQ is - ultimately - CULTURAL. It is against the culture of the US to talk about that. But not talking about something doesn't make it go away; indeed the opposite.
Changing your culture will likely not affect YOUR IQ, but it will affect what humans you hang out with and influence choice of values, and ultimately who you mate with. Natural selection through time can select for IQ potential, just like any other inheritable trait.
http://hankpellissier.medium.com/why-is-the-iq-of-ashkenazi-jews-so-high-twenty-possible-explanations-57ba50ab8d0e
http://personalityanalysistest.com/average-iq/average-iq-of-ashkenazi-jews-best-guide/
http://www.creditdonkey.com/average-iq-country.html
Ashkenazi Jews: Average ~110 (estimates range 108-115)
Countries with the Highest Average IQs
Singapore and Hong Kong: IQ of 108.
South Korea: IQ of 106
China, Taiwan, and Japan: IQ of 105
Iceland and Switzerland: IQ of 101
Austria, Netherlands, and Norway: IQ of 100
What is the average IQ of American adults?
The average American adult has an IQ of 98, ...landing us in 24th place. and, purportedly, rapidly falling.
Malawi: IQ of 60.
Mozambique: IQ of 64
Nigeria: IQ of 69
Botswana, Ghana, and Zambia: IQ of 71
Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe: IQ of 72
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