# Dumb people - are they happier?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-people-are-they-happier/78027>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 25, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-people-are-they-happier/78027 "2001-08-25T01:19:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-people-are-they-happier/78027/41 "2001-08-27T12:33:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kalt \*  
> \*\*Obviously there are exceptions… but on a macro level, it doesn’t seem to be a stretch of the mind to presume that, for the most part, intelligence and religiosity are inversely proportional. Intelligent people see through the contradictions and irrationality of religion, whereas dumber people are much more inclined to accept it as truth (not having the capacity to begin to refute it). \*\*

:rolleyes:

I just want to state for the record that Kalt does not speak for all atheists. His statement above is so obviously foolish and irrational that I’m somewhat amazed that anyone with even a modicum of intelligence would type it.

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**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-people-are-they-happier/78027/42 "2001-08-27T14:16:59Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xanakis \*  
> “Dumb” as in “lacking in intellect” not as in “unable to speak”.
> 
> What I mean is:
> 
> - they can hold down mundane jobs without constantly feeling guilty that they should be doing something “better”
> 
> - they have lower standards when it comes to art eg they can watch appalling trashy TV comedies or lowest common denominator films and quiz shows and actually enjoy them
> 
> - they dont spend time contemplating the Great Unanswerable Philosophical Questions of life, they just get on with living life, raising their families and trying to have as good a time as they can along the way

You can’t be serious!

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xanakis \*  
> Is it better to be dumb or clever in terms of day-to-day happiness?

Why don’t you tell us. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-people-are-they-happier/78027/43 "2001-08-27T21:20:51Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by cynic \*  
> \*\*While both intelligence and happiness are difficult to quantify, and therefore difficult to study, I believe there is a wide body of indirect evidence that suggests there is an _inverse_ correlation between happiness (subjective well-being) and intelligence:
> 
> 1. **Down Syndrome:** People who suffer from Down Syndrome are known for their good-natured, sunny dispositions. Their constant cheerfulness often makes them their parents’ favorite, despite their mental retardation.\*\*

My mother has taught mentally retarded students for over 30 years. I discussed this with her, and she says that in her vast experience, mentally retarded people run the same gamut of emotion as everybody else.

She also vehemently disagrees with your statements about Down Syndrome, as she has known the general emotional state of many of her Down students to have just as much human variation as any other populace and that the parents greatly range in their acceptance of their child.

I would like to know if you have a cite for your statements.

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