Well do you? Do ya ever think that the people of the SDMB are just more open minded and intelligent? I have,every now and then.If not the whole SDMB is there any particular doper that you think is above all others (with the exeption of the mods and our great cecil). 
Higher standard? Hmm. Collounsbury said he had a meeting to go to today and I imagined that maybe he was heading for a sit down dinner with Powell or Rice or who knows… maybe even G.W.
Sam Stone, Stoid, Anthracite are extraordinary. Actually there are too many to name. I am amazed by what gets written in these forums. 
I don’t know that it’s so much a higher standard of people as a bunch of people who are aware of who they are and what they think. And at the same time are able to listen and discuss their views intelligently, without tempers flaring (usually).
Who impresses me the most? Polycarp every time. There are others, but that’s who sprang to mind straight off when I read your question.
I think the standard of debate, writing and wit is higher here than most other places on the net. I don’t necessarily think we’re some elite breed - it’s just that the smart people tend to stick around and the ignorant get… fought 
I consider the board as just another representation of society in general. I don’t see any superiority or inferiority as a feature of the board itself. It’s just one of the endless reflections of people in general.
There are quite a few intelligent and well-spoken (written) people here. Just as there is many who are not here, but rather someplace else.
I think i worded myself wrong. I didnt really mean Higher standard I just meant different standard. Like more civilized
Hmm I think I would have to disagree here, if nothing else for the point of making this thread interesting. 
This is a board dominated by atheist liberals, a breed of people near the bottom in terms of intellectual power.
In the rush to be “open minded” and accept other other’s opinions at face value, the denizens of this board have created an environment where geeky D&D playing high schoolers are enshrined as high members of society.
This board needs a good dose of STFU and class stratification in order to raise itself up to a level of intelligence oin par with the workd at large
In general, yes.
I think that the Dopers’ commitment to scientific methods of research helps keep the signal to noise ratio very high here. On the other side of the coin, the witty banter on this board is second to none.
You STFU, raceKarl!!!
Cite please!!!
Some of them, yes, but it seems to be a pretty good cross section of the populace.
There is no question that there are many extraordinary people posting here–people who possess exceptional knowledge in there particular specialty (and some very odd specialties), polymaths who know something about almost everything, people gifted (and more wondrously, honest) in debate, empathic people, witty people, and even some who demonstrate most of these traits simultaneously. Overall, I expect to find more civility, wit, and knowledge here than I do in most places on the net…or out in the real world, for that matter.
However, there are also trolls, meltdowns, and headcases looking for attention. They bring the tone down a bit.
(BTW, Lsura, Poly was one of the first posters to spring to mind when I saw the title. This from someone who is neither a Christian nor a regular participant in GD.)
I don’t know if the SDMB attracts a higher standard of people. There are definitely a few very talented ones and some very educated people here. But, like Purd Werfect, I think this board is representation of society in general.
I have read many posts from many different people. Though I have never (knowingly) met any other Dopers in real life, I am familiar with many of them through this message board. Over time I subconsciously create a mental image of each poster with details gleaned from their posts. Then, sometimes a poster will reveal something about themselves that I didn’t know which will alter my perception of them and make me aware of my own ignorant prejudices. It is a beautiful thing.
If the SDMB collective really is superior to the general population, I don’t care. Actually, I wouldn’t want to know.
Nope. Absolutely not. Just being a member of a messageboard doesn’t mean anything in terms of being an elite.
And I think we do have a reasonable cross section of the general population and that is a Good Thing.
The SDMB obviously can’t be for the elite… y’all let me come and post!
:burps:
I think it helps considerably that this board is moderated and that the moderators can and do take action against those who act inappropriately. I certainly do not see this sort of civility on unmoderated boards or in most Usenet groups. I think having the moderators oversee what gets posted here helps to keep things in check and it keeps most of the troublemakers out.
In most cases yes. Here a jerk that comes spouting racial slang and swearing is yelled at and then sometimes banned. In real life their is no sure way of getting rid of someone (At least no legal way :D) So by getting rid of the racist, sexist, willingly ignorant people that bring the average down our standard becomes higher.
And honestly I couldn’t care less if dopers were nerds. Some are very insightful and well spoken folks with well thought out opinions and ideas. Looks aren’t important on an anonymous forum. Sure, I wouldn’t want to be seen in public with these people but in the privacy of my own home anything goes.
I’m kidding I’m kidding, you guys are great. Just don’t tell my friends I come here…
More open minded? No
More intelligent? Many seem to be.
This is a very interesting statement; I’m curious as to how you arrived at this conclusion, since I’ve usually considered liberals and atheists to be higher in intelligence than the average guy (and they have no problem letting the rest of the world know about it, too).
Gee, I agree with racekarl’s conclusion, that the board is populated by less than intelligent people, but for the opposite reasons, namely that the board is populated by superstitious fundamentalist conservatives, an inbreed of people lower than the bottom in terms of intellectual power. I’d cite racekarl’s post as proof of that. I find most SDMB members to be politically conservative, closed minded, and downright rude. That’s why I’m here, to fight ignorance.