[Zipperfish]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Wait, me saying you're stroking your ego is a personal attack? A bit sensitive. Considering you post a "study" on how conservatives and religious individuals score lower on IQ tests (and look a this, I'm a religious conservative, so absolutely no message was implied here hmm?), and you act like the offended party? yadda yadda yadda

Well, clearly we've hit a sore point here, Mr. Grumpy-pants. You're not the only one who took umbrage at this study. There's quite a few pissed off right-wing bloggers out there. Methinks they do protest too much.

I like your appraoch--just write off the entire branch of science called statistics, and then you don't have to worry about it.

$1:

Wait, I dissed demographics? No, I never did anything of the sort. Demographics is apolitical, even though it can be used for political reasons (like gerrymandering).

Demographics is apolitical? But can be used for gerrymandering? I lol'd at that little bit of logical pretzeling.

[sandorski]

fifeboy fifeboy:

This thread has become more tiring than the Friday the 13th series. May I post my humble apologies for having posted anything here and hope everyone decides it's time to say "Die Monster Die."

It always comes back....Aliens will find an Archive sent into Space by the last Earthlings containing the whole record of our History. This thread will spark a flame war the likes we can not comprehend.

[fifeboy]

sandorski sandorski:

fifeboy fifeboy:

This thread has become more tiring than the Friday the 13th series. May I post my humble apologies for having posted anything here and hope everyone decides it's time to say "Die Monster Die."

It always comes back....Aliens will find an Archive sent into Space by the last Earthlings containing the whole record of our History. This thread will spark a flame war the likes we can not comprehend.

I can't wait!

[commanderkai]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

Well, clearly we've hit a sore point here, Mr. Grumpy-pants. You're not the only one who took umbrage at this study. There's quite a few pissed off right-wing bloggers out there. Methinks they do protest too much.

That's right. Posting a link about the stupidity of conservatives certainly would hit a sore spot. Methinks you posted that to piss some people off. You succeeded. So don't act surprised.

$1:

I like your appraoch--just write off the entire branch of science called statistics, and then you don't have to worry about it.

No, I write off the politicization of statistics as taking away from any legitimate discussion. This thread is a beautiful case of this. Statistics, in an objective form, is no different from any other science, but when politics or ideologies are poured in, they generally become useless. If you have an issue with that, I don't care, considering your attitude.

$1:

Demographics is apolitical? But can be used for gerrymandering? I lol'd at that little bit of logical pretzeling.

Nice seeing you glossed over the fact I never dissed demographics. Information over demographics, hopefully you agree, would be difficult to change though ideological biases. A right winger should still reach the same conclusion over left wingers over the characteristics of a population in a certain area. NOW, this information can be used to help shape a political concept like gerrymandering, or fund raising efforts, but demographics information alone would be difficult to twist to some political talking point.

[Zipperfish]

commanderkai commanderkai:

That's right. Posting a link about the stupidity of conservatives certainly would hit a sore spot. Methinks you posted that to piss some people off. You succeeded. So don't act surprised.

Well, as stated, I wasn't actually being all that serious when I posted it. It was a quick Google search and then a link, in response to Derby's comment.

That said, I myself wouldn't conclude that conservatives are stupider based on that. An IQ test measures one's ability to take an IQ test. I myself don't consider it an absolute arbiter of actual intelligence, and when you're talking about a difference of ten points it's not that significant anyways.

The more interesting question for me is why do blacks/conservatives (or whatever aggregate group you want to name) score lower Are conservatives/blacks actually duller? Or is there an actual difference in how the two sides analyze issues that needs to be teased out?

$1:

No, I write off the politicization of statistics as taking away from any legitimate discussion.

Well, on that acount we're agreed. There's teh old saying about "using statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post--for support, not illumination."