# Are Dopers particularly smart? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 18, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094 "2016-12-18T23:45:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/1 "2016-12-18T23:45:45Z")
As I’ve hung out here, I’ve noticed that this place likes to pat itself on the back a lot and think of itself as intelligent, educated, intellectual, etc. Is there any evidence that the average Doper is smarter than the average poster on any of these places: [ul] [li]Reddit[/li][li]Democratic Underground[/li][li]Breitbart comments section[/li][li]Tumblr[/li][li]Stormfront[/li][/ul] (just to provide some examples / food for thought) If I asked for a cite, is there anything that could be provided? Or does this idea (that Dopers are particularly intelligent) belong in the realm of unproven (and perhaps unprovable) theory / myth? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/2 "2016-12-18T23:56:54Z")
I think the the accusation that we claim this a lot occurs much more often than the claim itself. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/3 "2016-12-19T00:04:55Z")
Ironically, the best indicator may be how few choose to bother debating the question. I don’t mean that as snark or a threadshit, but I mean, what do you really expect to accomplish here? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/4 "2016-12-19T00:05:20Z")
The only other board I visit on a regular basis is Fark. All I can say is this place tends to be less juvenile. And you have to admit, there are some brilliant people on this board. That said, if I’m looking for a good laugh, Fark almost never disappoints (love the Caturday and Photoshop threads). This place is a little more sparse with the chuckles. Not that I haven’t shared many a good laughs here over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/5 "2016-12-19T00:10:13Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Or does this idea (that Dopers are particularly intelligent) belong in the realm of unproven (and perhaps unprovable) theory / myth? Pretty much this. Where it started from was that the original column from whence this board took its name and ethos was a very broad-based and factoid oriented. It drew the interest of a lot of disparate but trivia-interested people. Which meant many individual subject experts or semi-experts. Which meant you could often get obscure questions answered quickly on a very wide variety of topics. From this broad-based human database people then jumped to the conclusion that many here were particularly clever. Which is a flattering conceit, but one that can’t really be proven and isn’t necessarily true. You could just have five hundred people who know ONE thing sorta well, but are drooling idiots on every other topic known to man :). In point of fact just because of the quasi-intellectual orientation of this board I wouldn’t be surprised if the average IQ is a bit above average. It does tend to self-select for curious people and curious people IME _tend_ to be a little smarter on average. But that doesn’t necessarily equate with a den of geniuses. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/6 "2016-12-19T00:16:03Z")
To paraphrase Jack Nicholson in A Few Brave Men, “You’re goddamn right we are!” (We’re smart enough to want to combat ignorance, especially our own. That’s above average, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/7 "2016-12-19T00:16:43Z")
To late to add: Also the average age here definitely skews older, which can push perceptions in both directions. Writing styles can perhaps come off as more thoughtful/educated ( punctuation/paragraphing ), but on the other hand we’ve got a lot of modern semi-luddites who scornfully reject some modern technology and are proud of it, by gum ;). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/8 "2016-12-19T00:28:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > If I asked for a cite, is there anything that could be provided? Or does this idea (that Dopers are particularly intelligent) belong in the realm of unproven (and perhaps unprovable) theory / myth? We’ve had threads here in which it’s been found we have dozens of Ph.D.'s and many others with advanced degrees. I think it would definitely be found that the average educational level on this board is well above that of the average general interest board. But it’s probably not going to be possible to test definitively. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/9 "2016-12-19T00:42:07Z")
I think Cecil is very smart, Ed Zotti too. I don’t hear people here claiming this at all, but there is more maturity here than some other boards. How would you measure this, to what purpose? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/10 "2016-12-19T00:46:01Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > To paraphrase Jack Nicholson in A Few Brave Men, Well, I’m convinced. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/11 "2016-12-19T01:15:13Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Pretty much this. > > Where it started from was that the original column from whence this board took its name and ethos was a very broad-based and factoid oriented. It drew the interest of a lot of disparate but trivia-interested people. Which meant many individual subject experts or semi-experts. Which meant you could often get obscure questions answered quickly on a very wide variety of topics. From this broad-based human database people then jumped to the conclusion that many here were particularly clever. Which is a flattering conceit, but one that can’t really be proven and isn’t necessarily true. You could just have five hundred people who know ONE thing sorta well, but are drooling idiots on every other topic known to man :). > > In point of fact just because of the quasi-intellectual orientation of this board I wouldn’t be surprised if the average IQ is a bit above average. It does tend to self-select for curious people and curious people IME _tend_ to be a little smarter on average. But that doesn’t necessarily equate with a den of geniuses. I have no idea about the average\*, but hang out in GQ for any length of time and you’ll be impressed by the number of experts we have in various fields-- history, science, literature, linguistics. And not just intellectual areas, but practical areas as well-- construction, car maintenance, electronics, software… \*Well, I have some idea, and I bet it’s lower than most people here think. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/12 "2016-12-19T01:42:36Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > To late to add: > > Also the average age here definitely skews older, which can push perceptions in both directions. Writing styles can perhaps come off as more thoughtful/educated ( punctuation/paragraphing ), but on the other hand we’ve got a lot of modern semi-luddites who scornfully reject some modern technology and are proud of it, by gum ;). The “brassiere curve,” often seen in Amazon and Yelp reviews. (Who the heck goes on Yelp to give anyone “three stars?”) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/13 "2016-12-19T01:43:38Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Well, I’m convinced. That easily? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/14 "2016-12-19T01:51:37Z")
I don’t know if people here are “smarter” but what I think this place is built around some basic ideas of critical thinking, providing actual evidence to support claims, respect for science and intellectual thought, … So, yeah, overall I think it makes this place an intelligent place to hang out. And, of course, I think the fact that it also tends to be fairly liberal politically (with a fair number of libertarian types, particularly in proportion to the general population, but few religious conservative types) is no coincidence since any intellectual values like the above that did exist in conservative thought have largely disappeared, at least in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/15 "2016-12-19T02:05:24Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > As I’ve hung out here, I’ve noticed that this place likes to pat itself on the back a lot and think of itself as intelligent, educated, intellectual, etc. Is there any evidence that the average Doper is smarter than the average poster on any of these places: > > [ul] > [li]Reddit[/li][li]Democratic Underground[/li][li]Breitbart comments section[/li][li]Tumblr[/li][li]Stormfront[/li][/ul] > … I am, Man, but I can only speak for myself. There are some smart people here, and there are others who believe things like there is a specific theoretical number consisting entirely of 9s that begins with a decimal point, and is equal to 1, with no decimal point. Lunacy. I mean, one of them plainly begins with a decimal point. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/16 "2016-12-19T02:18:03Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > That easily? Cool. Hey, is there an easier way to make a point than by getting a movie’s title wrong? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/17 "2016-12-19T02:21:14Z")
There are some knowledgeable people but they are unable to argue well. This makes me think that instead of being impressive intellects, they’re just old. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/18 "2016-12-19T02:56:19Z")
Moderation makes a big difference. The bans on ad hominems, just repeating yourself etc generally put off the ignorant\* and infantile. Not that some ignorant and infantile people don’t regularly post here, but their number is contained such that reasonable discussions and debates can take place. - By “ignorant” I mean people who don’t know much about a topic but are still very opinionated about it. There’s nothing wrong with ignorance per se, we’re all ignorant of lots of things. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/19 "2016-12-19T03:05:54Z")
**Tamerlane** and **Mijin** nailed it. We’re a bit more grown up than, say, YouTube comments, we have an ethos of wanting to communicate in complete paragraphs, we’re curious, and the moderators skim off the worst of the loudmouthed slag leaving the good stuff room to stand out. That all contributes to finding a \*bit \*higher class of keyboard jockey here than at Brand X. Not to say there aren’t smart folks in some corners of, say, reddit. But as an example, the Kardashian subreddit probably has very few of those standouts. The goofball subreddits outnumber the brainiac subreddits by a hefty ratio. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094/20 "2016-12-19T03:46:50Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > As I’ve hung out here, I’ve noticed that this place likes to pat itself on the back a lot and think of itself as intelligent, educated, intellectual, etc. Is there any evidence that the average Doper is smarter than the average poster on any of these places: > > [ul] > [li]Reddit[/li][li]Democratic Underground[/li][li]Breitbart comments section[/li][li]Tumblr[/li]**[li]Stormfront**[/li][/ul] > (just to provide some examples / food for thought) > > If I asked for a cite, is there anything that could be provided? Or does this idea (that Dopers are particularly intelligent) belong in the realm of unproven (and perhaps unprovable) theory / myth? Are you asking if the conversation here is more intellectually stimulating than at STORMFRONT? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dopers-particularly-smart/775094.md?page=2)