Is it possible the Human race is...

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Is it possible that the human race is devolving?

I'm curious and I think the human race is devolving, or I'm just noticing idiocy more now that I'm older. Maybe we are though because "Nature" wants to save us from ourselves. Once we devolve enough, evolution kicks back in in the hopes that the human race will be better the next time.

EDIT: Plus, I'm watching the Planet of the Apes movie marathon on AMC, lol.

[duke0476]

Originally Posted by Nebuchadnezzar

Is it possible that the human race is devolving?

I'm curious and I think the human race is devolving, or I'm just noticing idiocy more now that I'm older. Maybe we are though because "Nature" wants to save us from ourselves. Once we devolve enough, evolution kicks back in in the hopes that the human race will be better the next time.

EDIT: Plus, I'm watching the Planet of the Apes movie marathon on AMC, lol.

I think the short answer is yes. With technology advancements that improve our lives the need no longer exists to survive. We only need income to eat sleep and have the necessities to live.

[CKWI88]

I think it's just more visible. There have always been idiots, the internet has just given them a new platform to express themselves.

[BigPapaKain]

Watch Idiocracy.

[Bengalzona]

Originally Posted by BigPapaKain

Watch Idiocracy.

^This

[bradfritz21]

I think the upper intelligence keeps getting smarter and smarter and makes it possible for the lower intelligence to keep being dumber and dumber.

[ginger phoenix]

Originally Posted by CKWI88

I think it's just more visible. There have always been idiots, the internet has just given them a new platform to express themselves.

Actually I think it has more to do with the fact that we protect our stupid nowadays. We are preventing evolution from wiping them out so that only the strong and best humans survive. We will continue to have more and more dumb people because we institute laws that force them to protect themselves and for us to protect them like the seatbelt laws and various others.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should kill stupid people or even allow them to kill themselves due to their own stupidity, I'm just saying thats why there are more of them around today.

[Shady]

Originally Posted by duke0476

I think the short answer is yes. With technology advancements that improve our lives the need no longer exists to survive. We only need income to eat sleep and have the necessities to live.

I think there's a lot of truth in this, which helps explain why it seems to be so heavily concentrated in the U.S. Beyond that, I've had a theory for quite awhile that devolution got a big boost in the 1950s.That's when televisions became ubiquitous in US homes and also when more people began attending compulsory schools up through high school.

Prior to those two events, the working classes in the US were literate in the sense that they knew what was going on in the world and were much more active on a civic level. Of course, that concerned the oligarchs, and so there was a deliberate effort through schools and media to stupidify the population into passive submission. More than 60 years later, we can see the results

[oldschoolomen]

The need to physically evolve as a species is gone. With modern medicine and science, everyone is given an unnatural aid to survive. Instead of allowing the sick, injured, or weak to fend for themselves (either overcome- making the species stronger, or succomb- limiting the exposure to the species) they are aided by antibiotics, which make the individual better, but do not help the species as a whole.

I'm not at all supporting a reversal in medical ethics or allowing the sick or weak to die. We are where we are, and we can't go back. I just find it interesting.

From a mental standpoint, the smart people are smarter than ever. The dumb people are dumber than ever. The people in the middle are more educated than ever, but I don't know how that's tied to human evolution. There is a larger catalog of knowledge and it's relatively easily accessible.

In general, I think there are too many people on the planet. I don't have much experience in any kind of evolution theory or the sustainability of 7 billion people on Earth, it's just my opinion. Again, I'm not advocating any king of measures to limit the population, we're past the point of no return.

[NDfanatic]

Generational poverty, lack of proper priorities, breakdown of the family, ethical and moral failures, the list could continue for lines upon lines as to why we are becoming the way we are in this society.

[duke0476]

Originally Posted by oldschoolomen

The need to physically evolve as a species is gone. With modern medicine and science, everyone is given an unnatural aid to survive. Instead of allowing the sick, injured, or weak to fend for themselves (either overcome- making the species stronger, or succomb- limiting the exposure to the species) they are aided by antibiotics, which make the individual better, but do not help the species as a whole.

I'm not at all supporting a reversal in medical ethics or allowing the sick or weak to die. We are where we are, and we can't go back. I just find it interesting.

From a mental standpoint, the smart people are smarter than ever. The dumb people are dumber than ever. The people in the middle are more educated than ever, but I don't know how that's tied to human evolution. There is a larger catalog of knowledge and it's relatively easily accessible.

In general, I think there are too many people on the planet. I don't have much experience in any kind of evolution theory or the sustainability of 7 billion people on Earth, it's just my opinion. Again, I'm not advocating any king of measures to limit the population, we're past the point of no return.

Although I don't think we ever stop "physically evolving", I think you are correct as it stands now.

The sort of neat thing is that I believe nature has a way to even things out. While medicines keep us alive longer they can also be our downfall and we are seeing signs of that now.

The cases of MRSA increasing is a clear sign IMO. With medical advancements the body does not have the need to learn to fight off infections, viruses etc. and are becoming resistant to antibiotics. This along with the amount of antibiotics and the like in animal feed we consume more than people think.

[eoxyod]

Physically, people are continuing to get taller, bigger, and stronger than ever before. Hell, just look at the way athletes have grown. Mentally, even the biggest idiots of today would be able to hold a conversation with a person of adequate knowledge 50 years ago. The reality is more thant idiots are on more of the spotlight, so they will get attention. I'm saying this in general, not just America, either.

Also, a part of evolution that only we have gotten to yet is that eventually, the more evolved find ways to protect the less evolved. However, in sink or swim situations, the less evolved will always die (or fail)

[Lolli]

Originally Posted by duke0476

I think the short answer is yes. With technology advancements that improve our lives the need no longer exists to survive. We only need income to eat sleep and have the necessities to live.

^^^^ This (in some instances). Everyone can reproduce; there is no survival of the fittest. We mask health issues with technology allowing our defective genes to be passed down. I was born with bad vision. I had laser surgery and it does not even occur to me that I had bad vision. Then I had a daughter who has bad vision.

The good news is that, odds are, before the de-evolution is a major problem, we will be able to select genes and customize our kids to not have any problems.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Nebuchadnezzar

Is it possible that the human race is devolving?

I'm curious and I think the human race is devolving, or I'm just noticing idiocy more now that I'm older. Maybe we are though because "Nature" wants to save us from ourselves. Once we devolve enough, evolution kicks back in in the hopes that the human race will be better the next time.

EDIT: Plus, I'm watching the Planet of the Apes movie marathon on AMC, lol.

The best place to look for this answer through our history is the complexity of the ancient languages (especially the written ones) compared to the ones used today...

I believe a long time ago Much knowledge was lost.. Why or how... is a good question.

[Carlos Spicyweiner]

I believe it is.
Because we are becoming "over reliant" on our devices.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

The devolution of mankind

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/18...est=latestnews

[Danno]

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Carlos Spicyweiner

I believe it is.
Because we are becoming "over reliant" on our devices.

As we develope things to do things for us we become more lazy and complacient... And forget how to do things for ourselfs... Like Thinknig for ourselves doing basic math. remember a phone number.. Etc....


This is why any sci-fi dealing with robots is scary... as we are headed that direction.

[The Caped Crusader]

Physically? No. Mentally? No.



There will always be slow, unathletic people, just like there will always be people with low intelligence. This will not change.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

Physically? No. Mentally? No.



There will always be slow, unathletic people, just like there will always be people with low intelligence. This will not change.

Or Technology is evolving rapidly but we seemed to have stopped at least so it seems.

The average intellegence will drop as people become more dependant on technology and less on their brains.

[The Caped Crusader]

Originally Posted by XenoMorph

Or Technology is evolving rapidly but we seemed to have stopped at least so it seems.

The average intellegence will drop as people become more dependant on technology and less on their brains.

Einstein believed that technology, books, whatever, was their in the aid of benefiting him in his brain processes. The famous quote he said was, "Why do I need to know how long a mile is when I can simply look it up?" Einstein said that. A quote that generally states laziness was said by maybe the smartest man to ever live.


Technology will create fools of some, and bring the best out of others. It is like saying that film (movies) will be ruined by crap like Transformers. Not when you have people who live for great films like The Shawshank Redemption, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc. I, unfortunately think that stupid people receive too much face time (Jersey Shore) and for some reason we are drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Does that mean we are generally 'unevolving'? No. Not at all. Technology is there for a reason, is it not? And how did it get there? By our own hands, our own minds, working together.


Physically, nah. I mean, you see what athletes can do. Pretty extraordinary.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

Einstein believed that technology, books, whatever, was their in the aid of benefiting him in his brain processes. The famous quote he said was, "Why do I need to know how long a mile is when I can simply look it up?" Einstein said that. A quote that generally states laziness was said by maybe the smartest man to ever live.


Technology will create fools of some, and bring the best out of others. It is like saying that film (movies) will be ruined by crap like Transformers. Not when you have people who live for great films like The Shawshank Redemption, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc. I, unfortunately think that stupid people receive too much face time (Jersey Shore) and for some reason we are drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Does that mean we are generally 'unevolving'? No. Not at all. Technology is there for a reason, is it not? And how did it get there? By our own hands, our own minds, working together.


Physically, nah. I mean, you see what athletes can do. Pretty extraordinary.

One thing ive noticed... If you live in an old town with 100+ year old homes maybe 200 year old homes... It seems people used to be alot smaller... I know there have always been the few giants around but mainly you saw those guys in a freak show or wrestling ring lol. (or football field) but now the field is starting to open up People are getting much bigger. Now this all could be something to due with how we process our food (the steroids and hormones they put into food to produce as much as possible.... ) More so than evovling...

and why Humans are slow to evolve is we adapt our surroundings to suit our needs. evolution is generally triggered by a need to survive in a changing climate or conditions...(like if something happened and we were forced to live underground for a few generations ie. Nuke winter or big climate shift. we would probly see the next wave of human evolution over generations as we adapt to our new enviroment. (better night vision acute hearing etc.)

And i cant argue with Einstien... when learning Programming the teacher said.. None of you should try to memorize all this.. you'll go insaine. What you need to know is how to look up what you need. And how to impliment it to do your bidding....

[WeezyBengal]

I think its a combination of a couple of things.

I think you are noticing just how dumb people are more and more because of social media. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube comments, and message boards allow people to voice their opinion and comments that otherwise wouldnt be heard.

Also, I think the decline of family morals and family life in combination with the decline of the education system has caused somewhat of a de-evolution.

This is also social de-evolution of course, which accounts for the lack of intelligence. Physical evolution happens over millions and millions of years. There is no way that our physical intelligence as a society has somehow decreased since the 1900s. Thats just not enough time for any kind of evolution or de-evolution to take place. The reason people are getting dumber is because of the social issues.

[ibengals]

Originally Posted by WeezyBengal

I think its a combination of a couple of things.

I think you are noticing just how dumb people are more and more because of social media. Twitter, Facebook, You Tube comments, and message boards allow people to voice their opinion and comments that otherwise wouldnt be heard.

Also, I think the decline of family morals and family life in combination with the decline of the education system has caused somewhat of a de-evolution.

Exactly, stupid people will always exist within our population. The difference today is that there are incredibly efficient means of projecting their stupidity with Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc...

While there used to be a village idiot; now it seems to be a village of idiots. People can embarrass themselves quicker than ever before with today's technology

[WeezyBengal]

Originally Posted by NDfanatic

Generational poverty, lack of proper priorities, breakdown of the family, ethical and moral failures, the list could continue for lines upon lines as to why we are becoming the way we are in this society.

I agree with this 100%.