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The title of this comic is a reference to the dystopian comedy ''{{w|Idiocracy}}''. The film postulates that over about 500 years, society will suffer from a massive decrease in intellectual potential. This development could be attributed to the fact that people are more likely to reproduce due to lack of education, absence of planning, and general negligence with regards to the consequences of their actions. Randall presents a character who 'misinterprets' this, to say that those with a lower IQ are believed to be more likely to reproduce thus more readily pass on their genes. | The title of this comic is a reference to the dystopian comedy ''{{w|Idiocracy}}''. The film postulates that over about 500 years, society will suffer from a massive decrease in intellectual potential. This development could be attributed to the fact that people are more likely to reproduce due to lack of education, absence of planning, and general negligence with regards to the consequences of their actions. Randall presents a character who 'misinterprets' this, to say that those with a lower IQ are believed to be more likely to reproduce thus more readily pass on their genes. | ||
| − | [[Cueball]] professes his approval for the theories represented in the film, and the guy with the white safari | + | [[Cueball]] professes his approval for the theories represented in the film, and the guy with the white safari agrees with him, lamenting the gradual decay in intelligence and education. (Note that Safari Hat is not the same guy as [[White Hat]]! See below.) |
But in panel 3, Safari Hat suddenly reveals that all the "facts" he cited were wrong, and we learn that he doesn't support the dysgenic thesis at all. He turns to accuse Cueball of conceited self-righteousness (using religious zealots as an analogy), harshly condemning intelligence dysgenics as an excuse for feeling superior to the rest of society. Cueball's suggestion of {{w|Birth control movement in the United States|birth control}} for the unintelligent only furthers his attitude. Although it is not named, one thing at work here is the {{w|Dunning-Kruger effect}} — that stupid people don't realize they're stupid. | But in panel 3, Safari Hat suddenly reveals that all the "facts" he cited were wrong, and we learn that he doesn't support the dysgenic thesis at all. He turns to accuse Cueball of conceited self-righteousness (using religious zealots as an analogy), harshly condemning intelligence dysgenics as an excuse for feeling superior to the rest of society. Cueball's suggestion of {{w|Birth control movement in the United States|birth control}} for the unintelligent only furthers his attitude. Although it is not named, one thing at work here is the {{w|Dunning-Kruger effect}} — that stupid people don't realize they're stupid. | ||
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In fact, a negative correlation between intelligence and fertility is disputed; see the Wikipedia article on the accumulation of disadvantageous genes: {{w|dysgenics}}. And regardless of this the actual absolute IQs in modern societies have been rising, see {{w|Flynn effect}}. This can be paraphrased with the statement, that if the generation of our grandparents would take a today's IQ test, they would barely score an IQ of 70 and be at the limit of intellectual disability. | In fact, a negative correlation between intelligence and fertility is disputed; see the Wikipedia article on the accumulation of disadvantageous genes: {{w|dysgenics}}. And regardless of this the actual absolute IQs in modern societies have been rising, see {{w|Flynn effect}}. This can be paraphrased with the statement, that if the generation of our grandparents would take a today's IQ test, they would barely score an IQ of 70 and be at the limit of intellectual disability. | ||
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| + | It should be noted that Safari Hat was at first thought to be a version of White Hat, who had the exact opposite personality depicted here. But since White Hat had already appeared three times before this comic, and as Safari hat has never been seen since (except in [[1000: 1000 Comics]]), there is not reason to mix these two characters. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[Cueball is standing in front of three shelves with DVDs, holding a single DVD in his hand looking at the cover. A guy with a white rounded safari hat (Safari Hat | + | :[Cueball is standing in front of three shelves with DVDs, holding a single DVD in his hand looking at the cover. A guy with a white rounded safari hat (Safari Hat fro now on) stands behind him.] |
:Cueball: ''Idiocracy'' is so true. | :Cueball: ''Idiocracy'' is so true. | ||
:Safari Hat: I know, right? It used to be that the intelligent, upper classes had more children. | :Safari Hat: I know, right? It used to be that the intelligent, upper classes had more children. | ||
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:Cueball: Look — all we need is a program that limits breeding to— | :Cueball: Look — all we need is a program that limits breeding to— | ||
:Safari Hat (off-panel): New theory: Stupid people reproduce more because the alternative is sleeping with ''you.'' | :Safari Hat (off-panel): New theory: Stupid people reproduce more because the alternative is sleeping with ''you.'' | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
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[[Category:Biology]] | [[Category:Biology]] | ||
[[Category:Fiction]] | [[Category:Fiction]] | ||
[[Category:Religion]] | [[Category:Religion]] | ||
[[Category:Climate change]] | [[Category:Climate change]] | ||
