Robert 102's Comments
@ DegoDego
What you're referring to is rationalization. You're saying that we're afraid of or we don't like the idea that another race could be dumber than white people, so we're making up excuses, we're rationalizing something that should be quite obvious.
That is one of the most basic of human flaws that sets us apart from the ancient civilizations. To take these for face value is the greatest fallacy.
We are not bending over backwards, and science again gives us our reason, our impetus to explore this further. Two members of the same species, with the same physiological, psychological, and overall physical properties should not exhibit large discrepancies in intelligence.
We are not bending over backwards, we are befuddled and confused as to why this is showing up in the first place! Given the controlled conditions, all races are nearly genetically identical in terms of a template... the same set of chromosomes when "arranged" correctly will always make a human... there must be something else, beyond the biological that explains this difference.
Instead of giving up and saying, "Yeah, that test score proves that we should be racist," or "Yeah that test score proves that they're below us and should be sent to death camps," or "Yeah that test score proves that they were better off as slaves," we ask "In the face of all scientific evidence that shows us that they're the same species, what else can we use to explain this discrepancy?!"
What you're referring to is rationalization. You're saying that we're afraid of or we don't like the idea that another race could be dumber than white people, so we're making up excuses, we're rationalizing something that should be quite obvious.
That is one of the most basic of human flaws that sets us apart from the ancient civilizations. To take these for face value is the greatest fallacy.
We are not bending over backwards, and science again gives us our reason, our impetus to explore this further. Two members of the same species, with the same physiological, psychological, and overall physical properties should not exhibit large discrepancies in intelligence.
We are not bending over backwards, we are befuddled and confused as to why this is showing up in the first place! Given the controlled conditions, all races are nearly genetically identical in terms of a template... the same set of chromosomes when "arranged" correctly will always make a human... there must be something else, beyond the biological that explains this difference.
Instead of giving up and saying, "Yeah, that test score proves that we should be racist," or "Yeah that test score proves that they're below us and should be sent to death camps," or "Yeah that test score proves that they were better off as slaves," we ask "In the face of all scientific evidence that shows us that they're the same species, what else can we use to explain this discrepancy?!"
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@ Jason E. and Myself
Lesson 1:
When stating, "Excuse my presumption..." always begin the statement with the word, "Please".
Otherwise you sound like a b*tch.
Lesson 1:
When stating, "Excuse my presumption..." always begin the statement with the word, "Please".
Otherwise you sound like a b*tch.
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Jason E.
Then excuse my presumption as we both seem to be in agreement.
Then excuse my presumption as we both seem to be in agreement.
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@ Matt
Although I may not agree with your assertion that psychiatry is to blame, I do applaud you for looking to other explanations and at least trying counter the biological assertion Watson is making.
Racism has a long and hideous history that stems from class distinctions and the privileged desire to oppress for personal gain.
Watson states that it has nothing to do with poverty, and in his cantankerous-old-man way reduces this explanation to nothing more than a mere excuse. If Watson were a social scientist, or perhaps not a white privileged male, then perhaps he'd be capable of transcending his class consciousness and seeing his orientation to the rest of society for what it is.
A person, when granted privilege based on antiquated ideas of what it means to be man or beast will doggedly reassert those ideas at every breath in order to insure the integrity, or appearance thereof, that his or her entitlement is natural and god-given.
Although I may not agree with your assertion that psychiatry is to blame, I do applaud you for looking to other explanations and at least trying counter the biological assertion Watson is making.
Racism has a long and hideous history that stems from class distinctions and the privileged desire to oppress for personal gain.
Watson states that it has nothing to do with poverty, and in his cantankerous-old-man way reduces this explanation to nothing more than a mere excuse. If Watson were a social scientist, or perhaps not a white privileged male, then perhaps he'd be capable of transcending his class consciousness and seeing his orientation to the rest of society for what it is.
A person, when granted privilege based on antiquated ideas of what it means to be man or beast will doggedly reassert those ideas at every breath in order to insure the integrity, or appearance thereof, that his or her entitlement is natural and god-given.
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@ Jason E.
"Watching out for Asia" implies that we're under some kind of threat. If indeed science leaves no room for coincidence then we have to employ caution in making outlandish statements. We cannot jump to the conclusion that we should fear the Asian population's testing abilities, naturally. Perhaps the tests are not properly operationalizing, and therefore measuring, intelligence. Or perhaps the intelligence that we are measuring is not the kind that makes us better doctors or scientists.
Taking things for face value is unwise and until we have a better understanding of that underline governing rule or rules, we cannot conclusively argue that a particular race is, so to speak, better than another.
"Watching out for Asia" implies that we're under some kind of threat. If indeed science leaves no room for coincidence then we have to employ caution in making outlandish statements. We cannot jump to the conclusion that we should fear the Asian population's testing abilities, naturally. Perhaps the tests are not properly operationalizing, and therefore measuring, intelligence. Or perhaps the intelligence that we are measuring is not the kind that makes us better doctors or scientists.
Taking things for face value is unwise and until we have a better understanding of that underline governing rule or rules, we cannot conclusively argue that a particular race is, so to speak, better than another.
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Very interesting.
btw the French loved me and my friends when we visited Paris and we're all Americans. If the French were rude to you, you're probably just stupid or obnoxious or something.
Also, if you go to Paris remember that their national language, with pride and dignity, is French. If you don't speak French, don't scream English at them.
btw the French loved me and my friends when we visited Paris and we're all Americans. If the French were rude to you, you're probably just stupid or obnoxious or something.
Also, if you go to Paris remember that their national language, with pride and dignity, is French. If you don't speak French, don't scream English at them.
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Whoa, what's up with the school yard bully talk?
You assholes could learn a lot from this family.
You assholes could learn a lot from this family.
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"He just finally had the balls to make it into a public discussion..."
He's not the first person to enter this topic into public discussion. Remember The Bell Curve by Richard J. Herrnstein? And the rebuttal from the UC Berkeley Sociology Department, Inequality by Design?