# Do Dopers live in Lake Wobegon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245 "2010-11-19T18:50:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [November 19, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/1 "2010-11-19T18:50:23Z")
I.Q. wise, do you consider yourself to be below average, average, or above average? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/2 "2010-11-19T18:54:00Z")
I’ve never had my IQ tested, but I figure I’m about average. I’m above average in language-related skills, and below average in math-related skills (like, by a _lot_), so I think it pretty much evens out. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/3 "2010-11-19T18:57:08Z")
Intelligence is what I do. I’d rather wake up paraplegic than wake up dumb. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/4 "2010-11-19T20:09:37Z")
More like a Bell Wall than a Bell Curve so far. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/5 "2010-11-19T20:21:10Z")
Wait a minute…it’s the \*children \*who are above average. Shouldn’t the OP be asking if Dopers are stong or good looking? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/6 "2010-11-19T20:38:00Z")
I’m waaaay above average. It’s always been a pain in the butt, frankly. The ability to do mental tricks is highly overvalued, IMHO. Being so smart kept me from being competent for far too long. Now I do the work, rather than relying on my wits to get me through things I didn’t adequately prepare for. I’m not exceptionally strong, and around average for looks. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/7 "2010-11-19T20:42:42Z")
I’m a fucking genius. Others may disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/8 "2010-11-19T20:43:56Z")
You didn’t ask a Lake Wobegon type question though. The Dope is a semi-intellectual board so it is reasonable to assume that the average IQ would skew well above that of the general population. That isn’t what Lake Wobegon is about though. In Lake Wobegon, everyone is above average even in Lake Wobegon terms. You would have to ask how intelligent we judge ourselves compared to the average Doper to do a Lake Wobegon type poll. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/9 "2010-11-19T20:55:56Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > You didn’t ask a Lake Wobegon type question though. The Dope is a semi-intellectual board so it is reasonable to assume that the average IQ would skew well above that of the general population. That isn’t what Lake Wobegon is about though. In Lake Wobegon, everyone is above average even in Lake Wobegon terms. > > You would have to ask how intelligent we judge ourselves compared to the average Doper to do a Lake Wobegon type poll. Actually, only the children are above average. All the women are strong and all the men are good-looking. 😃 ---
**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:** [November 19, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/10 "2010-11-19T21:04:24Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Actually, only the children are above average. All the women are strong and all the men are good-looking. 😃 And a Doper with above-average intelligence would have noted that this point had already been made. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/11 "2010-11-19T21:05:19Z")
I’m not only above average, in three weeks I’m going to see Garrison Keillor! ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/12 "2010-11-19T21:44:21Z")
Far above average when tested as a kid. Less far above average when tested as an adult. I am getting dumber in my old age. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/13 "2010-11-20T02:15:33Z")
“Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!” George Carlin Isn’t it nice we are all above average? (and that I am good looking…) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/14 "2010-11-20T02:26:45Z")
I’m a little above average; I don’t think I’m any kind of braniac. And I am aware that average ain’t much to write home about. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/15 "2010-11-20T02:37:47Z")
Above average, based on IQ testing. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/16 "2010-11-20T03:38:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > More like a Bell Wall than a Bell Curve so far. No, it’s a bell curve, just skewed left. W-a-a-a-ay left. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/17 "2010-11-20T03:41:37Z")
Related thread from a few months ago. I still need to do a follow-up to it… [Sex, poker, and driving: a discussion on self-perception](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=575733) ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/18 "2010-11-20T23:56:40Z")
I am average. I scored high academically and with IQ tests. I do great on some of these online quizzes, especially when it comes to history or geography. But I’m really really stupid when it comes to common sense so that drags me down a lot. ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/19 "2010-11-22T11:02:13Z")
I’m not at all surprised that most people voted for above average, and I’m fairly sure that it’s reasonably accurate. People, in general, are _stupid_. Like really dumb. Even being able to use the internet, register to the board and comprehend the question probably takes you well into ‘average’ territory. Add in the intellectual skew as others have mentioned and yes I’m very willing to believe that the vast majority of people here are of above average intelligence. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245/20 "2010-11-23T03:44:41Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > No, it’s a bell curve, just skewed left. W-a-a-a-ay left. Left=high I.Q. Got it. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-dopers-live-in-lake-wobegon/561245.md?page=2)