I was reading a story called Flowers for Algernon, and I found the plot very interesting. Basically, the story's protagonist is a man named Charlie with an IQ of 68. After having successfully raised the intelligence of a mouse named Algernon by triple the amount, scientists see Charlie as an adequate candidate to undergo the same operation and have his IQ raised to 185. However, because his intellect surpasses others by far, his social skills begin to decline and he is unable to keep a relationship with anyone whom he meets.
So the question is, do you think it's a good idea to mess with someone's intelligence? And why do you think so?
By the way Valkyrie, it was over 200 I.Q. at the start, and then he fell in love with the girl that worked with him when he was mentally unfit. Then at the end, his intelligence declined, ironically, back to his original I.Q..
So yes, I would support it, but only for those that really need it, and when there are no backfiring consequences.
Remember that this is a fictional story and the operation and its consequences are completely made up. So, if you mess with someone's intelligence, it's unlikely that what happened to Charlie will happen to them.
So....you made a topic in THIS forum about this? It's sort of popular media because its about a book, but its more tavern because it is totally hypothetical and has no basis in reality whatsoever =P
Heh, that story sounds like me in a way, I find most people quite annoying when they either a, have no idea what i'm talking about, or b, are just plain dumb. As for the social factor, that's quite true, but only if you can't find someone to speak to. I only have 2 friends really, not because I don't try, but because most people just think i'm weird. If you find someone who's smart though, that isn't a problem, the problem is FINDING someone who's smart...
So....you made a topic in THIS forum about this? It's sort of popular media because its about a book, but its more tavern because it is totally hypothetical and has no basis in reality whatsoever =P
How I see it is, it may become a world event, because of growing technology. We only know so much about the brain, and when we figure out how to tamper with the intelligence without genetic means, then research funded would help use this for the common good. More citizens with stronger, more flexible minds could use that growing and expanding knowledge for promising things that may be in the near future. Lots of things to think about.
I think that you should leave people the way they are. Darwinism helps weed out the stupid and the weak, Its just too bad that the majority of this earth is covered in morons...fat overly protected morons.
So, if you mess with someone's intelligence, it's unlikely that what happened to Charlie will happen to them
Uh yeah but it's also extremely unlikely that anyone would be able to post someone's intelligence in the first place. In a way, Charlie gained everything he'd wanted, and lost everything he could of had. Is getting smarter really worth it if you lose more than you gain?
Social=How well you relate to everyone else. (Not to be offensive but this is how I see it) People of similar/near intellect group together, simply because they are more comfortable. When you see those large groups of 9-10 people going around, i'd bet a lot that they all have 2 things in common, 1, how smart they are, and 2, their primary intrest. And being smart wouldn't neccecarily make you a social outcast, it just has to deal with how well you deal with people who can't keep up with you. For me, that limit is not much, so I don't have too many friends. As for the
i would much much perfare to be stupid but happy then smart but sad
comment, how would you be able to determine that unless you were smart enough to decide for yourself? I bet that stupid people wish they were smart, and vis-versa occasionally.
