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Re: Testing
I have no plans to off myself at present, but it helps to have people welcome me to stay alive. Thanks for that.
I agree about testing. That's one of my major issues; what I seem to be best at is irrelevant to real life. But I struggle on, because I find I can hold my own in some discussions. I'm not entirely about memorization, but true analysis has come to me only recently, or so I have come to believe. I am, however, functionally illiterate socially, at least in person. I'm still working on that.
posted by
mousehop
on August 29, 2008 at 3:13 PM
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Re: I've also read an article about the man/woman IQ thing
Thank you for your kind words. You, also, demonstrate a solid education and impressive acumen. I do, now, have the confidence to say I am somewhere in the top echelons of IQdom, whatever that means. At the time of the events I described, I was hardly rational, though it took me some time to figure out where my thinking was off. I'm still never quite sure. I have this ingrained belief that I'm missing something everyone else knows.
posted by
mousehop
on August 29, 2008 at 3:07 PM
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Re: mousehop
Talion,
You make good points. I was thinking mainly in the instance of education, and there, my experience with AA and qualifications was in connection with (dare I say it) athletes. Tutoring athletes taking classes with students who got in based on test scores. The athletes I met couldn't keep up. Most didn't care, and that may have explained the difference; I don't know.
But you're right about discrimination, and it is difficult to overcome. My approach, with regard to, say, elite colleges, would be to set a specific standard and accept students based on approximation to the standard. Those either too high above it or too far below would not be accepted. Then the population of students would all be of the same quality, even if other factors such as economic background, or race, or anything else were used in choosing who got in. I don't feel bad for the top students; most of them will get along on their own. But accepting someone marginally qualified, and demanding the same performance as the immensely qualified isn't fair. And being told you're not really up to the mark, that you got in by accident or something unrelated to actual qualification, is demoralizing (or was for me). It's a problem that demands more thought (at least for me). Or maybe just a better education system, from the ground up.
posted by
mousehop
on August 29, 2008 at 2:48 PM
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Re: Hello Goddamn Genius
Oddly enough, I am just reading "The Fountainhead" for the first time. I've read "Atlas Shrugged" and "Anthem" before. I have my points of contention with Ms. Rand, but she can be entertaining.
As for Affirmative Action being anti-evolutionary, yes, it probably is. But so is health care. And I'm in favor of that. I don't think we humans can or should try to direct the evolution of our species. We should just try to make the world better for all of us. That's tough enough to figure out.
Your world intrigues me. Carry on, and please keep in touch.
posted by
mousehop
on August 29, 2008 at 2:35 PM
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Testing
Testing is based upon memorizing without necessarily understanding, portions of material that someone else decided was relevant. Therefore, testing is fundamentally flawed form of determining ones intelligence or capabilities to perform a job. It is also a flawed approach to determining someones IQ. I know so many people, including my own brother, who are geniuses in science, math, but completely illiterate socially.
Do the world a favor, don't off yourself. We need my cynical people who see through the B.S. of this world and poke it's fat gluttonous gut.
Being afraid of people is not inherently yours, it is the problem the entire country, perhaps world is facing. People scare me, and I am in the business of people. I find them rude, discourteous, and jealous. Yet, there is always, at random times, those special people you find that are truly amazing. One encounter I had was with an 80 year old woman in a furniture store, who just came up to talk to me about her recent recliner purchase. At first, I was taken back, but once she began to tell her story, I was sucked into every word she spoke. One day, I hope I can have as many great stories to tell some socially disturbed young adult as she had. I hope I can be as honest with other people about my downfalls in person as she was. I hope I can be as imperfect and yet proud of my imperfection, as she was.
posted by
freelance_ghost
on August 29, 2008 at 8:21 AM
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Re: Mysteria
I sure hope you don't take offence but, I found your comment hilarious. For two main reasons. Firstly if you really are solipsistic my comment shouldn't bother you, since I'm only a figment of your imagination anyway. Secondly, I'm the only solipsist here, so you are actually the figment of my imagination. Did I just do a timewarp thingy here?
posted by
AardigeAfrikaner
on August 29, 2008 at 4:59 AM
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I've also read an article about the man/woman IQ thing
but it seems to apply only to the gifted range (more woman in the 120-140 bracket than men with more men in the 140+ and 120- brackets, so if I were you I wouldn't worry about you being and AA candidate. Your thinking in your articles and comments seem enough proof to me of something in the higher end but then again I'm trying purposefully not to know too much about IQ stats and this may well change a bit over time anyway. There was a time when I actively pursued any means of becoming dumber in an effort to become more normal and acceptable which should actually indicate that I was already stupid enough.
posted by
AardigeAfrikaner
on August 29, 2008 at 4:47 AM
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Thought inducing post indeed !
posted by
afzal50
on August 29, 2008 at 3:57 AM
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mousehop
The argument surrounding Affirmative Action is hands down one of the murkiest. There simply isn't a clear-cut solution to the problem of rectifying racial discrimination. However, there are a couple of points that most critics seem to overlook. The concept of a minority being less qualified somehow becomes unqualified. There's an implication the minority that gets the position is not only undeserving, but incapable of fullfilling the duties and obligations said position requires. The minority is simply there, taking up space, his/her only purpose is a living example the company/school/organization isn't inherently racist. While such an instance is most certainly possible, I don't believe it's the norm. Which leads to the second point. Affirmative Action only gets the minority's foot in the door. Once in the position, the minority must produce based on the same standards as their peers. If the minority does not, he or she is shown the door. Those who benefit from Affirmative Action aren't recieving a free ride.
Note: I'm not taking any potshots at you or any other individual that disagrees with the concept (I must admit it leaves me conflicted and I'm black), but hopefully offering food for thought.
posted by
Talion_
on August 28, 2008 at 11:10 PM
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Hello Goddamn Genius
You have some very interesting perspectives and I enjoy reading you if I haven't lead on to that by now
Anyways, Affirmative Action is reverse evolution in my opine. I am sure Ayn Rand would have a lot to say about it. She is one of the members of my Council on Mysteria Affairs. So she is in turn one of my heroes by default
This council I refer to is quite real, yet exists in my mind. They are just starting to assemble on semi-regular intervals, and still growing in ranks
The purpose of this council is to advise me, the Prime Minister, of the best course of action to be taken at any given time in my quest to rise above my mental malady. I am still in the process of fine tuning communications and such, but so far the prospects of success are excellent
I blab on and on on this because interestingly, Ayn Rand is, so far, the only one who has qualified for a council position who is a woman, to date. I didn't notice the disparity right away and when I did, I thought well that's interesting, and I began to think along the lines of affirmative action and its positions, "Well maybe I need to balance it out", intentionally, with intent on selecting based on gender. Then I quickly thought not as that is no way to go about picking a staff. I mean it is nice to give into concesssions on a personal level if it feels right to the individual, but forcing the issue, is entirely and basically wrong
But who knows, you know? I mean what's REALLY going on? I seem to see spectors dressed in smoke and mirrors...But that's just me and I am a card carrying subscriber of solipsism
posted by
mysteria
on August 28, 2008 at 9:33 PM
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