# Are You Smarter Than The Average Doper.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 20, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685 "2011-07-20T06:17:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/1 "2011-07-20T06:17:43Z")
One on one, it is pretty easy to tell if you are smarter or dumber. If you aren’t sure you may as well call it even.
What I would ask you to do is compare yourself to the average doper and dopers in general and then rate yourself as honestly as possible as follows. No need for modesty or blowing your own horn as this poll is private.
Significantly Below Average for a doper
Below Average for a doper
Average for a doper
Above Average for a Doper
Significantly Above Average for a Doper.
I would expect if everyone is accurate that we should end up with a normal distribution centred on average. Lets see.
Poll coming.
---
### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/2 "2011-07-20T06:25:58Z")
I’d say about average.
---
### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/3 "2011-07-20T06:28:14Z")
I am going to laugh so hard if the results skew above average.
---
### Author:  [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/4 "2011-07-20T06:40:45Z")
I went with average but it’s kinda hard to tell. The frame of reference of most dopers is different enough to my own that I’m not really sure about the smartness level of many people here. There are some notable posters that ooze both analytical prowess and booksmarts galore but I shan’t inflate egos by naming and shaming any of them. They tend to stand out.
---
### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/5 "2011-07-20T06:46:32Z")
> [@Bosstone](#):
>
> I am going to laugh so hard if the results skew above average.
They’re almost guaranteed to - pretty much all polls with response options like this come out with the average respondant thinking they’re above average.
---
### Author:  [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/6 "2011-07-20T08:00:04Z")
in the general population of the real world, I can without blushing say that i am signifigantly above average intellegence in a wide variety of feilds.
In the straight dope, that makes me pretty average.
I come here to feel average, and sometimes even awed.
---
### Author:  [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/7 "2011-07-20T10:30:38Z")
Apparently my IQ is around 133
Where does that put me in the Poll?
---
### Author:  [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/8 "2011-07-20T13:39:50Z")
I strive for SDMB mediocrity and I think I achieve it.
---
### Author:  [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/9 "2011-07-20T14:05:08Z")
Comfortably average around here, I’d say.
---
### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/10 "2011-07-20T14:24:14Z")
Hey, who’s the _other_ dumb chick? We should get together and stare blankly at each other. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/11 "2011-07-20T14:26:47Z")
I’m Lake Wobegon average!
---
### Author:  [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/12 "2011-07-20T14:29:06Z")
This is a tough one, since everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I based my answer on what I see in Great Debates, while not always perfect, some of the regulars seem to be highly intelligent. Thus I am average.
---
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/13 "2011-07-20T15:18:34Z")
“Back in LA, I was always the weirdest guy in the room. Then I come over here and I’m not even in the Top Ten.”
–Robert Downey Jr. - **Air America**
I know just how he feels.
---
### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/14 "2011-07-20T15:27:17Z")
I think I’m below average for a Doper. Above average for the Great Unwashed, but below average for you bunch of big brains.
**otternell** , I’m not sure I’d go by what you see in Great Debates - a pathological inability to let anything go is not necessarily a sign of great intelligence. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/15 "2011-07-20T15:33:54Z")
> [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](#):
>
> in the general population of the real world, I can without blushing say that i am signifigantly above average intellegence in a wide variety of feilds.
>
> In the straight dope, that makes me pretty average.
This.
> [@](#):
>
> I come here to feel average, and sometimes even awed.
Although I do feel pretty average around here, that’s not why I visit; I enjoy satisfying my curiosity (and occasionally providing interesting info for others).
---
### Author:  [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/16 "2011-07-20T15:36:48Z")
General population: I’d say above to significantly above.
Dopers: Average. There are a lot of smart folks around here, even with the occasional wingnut or fruitbat skewing things downward. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/17 "2011-07-20T15:39:40Z")
Another average man here.
And I’m in good company.
---
### Author:  [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/18 "2011-07-20T15:39:45Z")
Average. Almost went below average.
---
### Author:  [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/19 "2011-07-20T15:50:47Z")
I really waffled between average and above average. While there are some really smart folks here on the dope, there are also some really really mind numbingly dumb ones.
So, I had to weigh how much smarter I am than the dumb ones against how much dumber I am than the smart ones.
Tough call.
---
### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685/20 "2011-07-20T15:58:06Z")
I put significantly below average. I’m typing this by pounding my head against the keyboard and drooling on the mouse.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-the-average-doper/589685.md?page=2)