# The statistically average Doper **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 8, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978 "2003-07-08T12:15:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/1 "2003-07-08T12:15:22Z")
Clearly, the SDMB has a lot of different kinds of folks. But also clearly there are some ways the average doper is skewed from the mean. I propose the average Doper is: Intelligent Politically left of center (by U.S. standards) In his/her 30s A writer by profession Gay Underpaid What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/2 "2003-07-08T12:25:12Z")
hmmm, well, I think I meet the first criterion, but I definitely don’t match up with any of the others. Do we have all that many professional writers here? I would have guessed computer professionals made up a big chunk. And I don’t think the majority are gay by any stretch. What do you base your proposal upon? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/3 "2003-07-08T12:32:56Z")
Yes. Yes. Yes. Kind of. Not that I know of. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/4 "2003-07-08T12:34:26Z")
Well, I’m not sure if I match any of them. And you’re correct, I don’t believe that the majority (and therefore the average) are gay, or writers; I guess what I meant was that for a group of people, I suspect there are more gays here then would be found in an average group of the same size, same for writers. What do I base it on? nothing but assumptions, which I throw to the masses for discussion, expansion or discardation. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/5 "2003-07-08T12:56:14Z")
Intelligent: Yes Politically left of center (by U.S. standards): farrrrr left (vs USA) In his/her 30s: yes, already 16 years so A writer by profession: I wrote my PhD, does that count? Gay: usually happy, yes. What? Underpaid: I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/6 "2003-07-08T12:56:45Z")
**Intelligent** I think the collective intelligence of the board is unbelievable. A person could find reliable answers to almost any question. I would guess that some dopers are highly intelligent and some, like me, are just average. **Politically left of center (by U.S. standards)** I think dopers are more open-minded than the average person. They seem to think there is more than one way of thinking and living. Dopers seem to place high value upon accuracy but find a way to embrace flexibility. **In his/her 30s** Probably mid 30s to mid 40s. **A writer by profession** Write well. **Gay** and straight and bi and … **Underpaid** Doesn’t everyone think of themselves as being underpaid? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/7 "2003-07-08T13:01:41Z")
OK, lesse… Intelligent? duh… OK, sure! Politically left? Nope. Fairly conservative, with some radical leanings. I guess I’m multidirectional politically. In my 30s? 40 as of 01-26-03 Paperback writer? I’ve sold my words before, but I do home and restaurant remodel. Sometimes I help an image setter friend of mine. I still do freelance photo work, too. Gay? I’m pretty happy overall… What?! …Oh… Gee! Mongo straight! Underpaid? I am not even close to wealthy, but I get paid very well for what I do. Sometimes, though, I don’t have enough to do. I know I’m not an average _person_. How close to average _Doper_ am I? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/8 "2003-07-08T13:37:39Z")
**Intelligent** I would place myself in the top 49% of the population. Actually, I’m not even sure what intelligence means anymore. As I get older, I become less sure. I used to top my class in English and History, and come dead last in mathematics. There are different types of intelligence. I think I could have a good chance of being the guy who manages to talk a suicide off a building ledge. I think I would never win a game of chess. When I see numerals, my brain shuts down. When I see the letters of the alphabet, the motor revs. **Politically left of centre** No. I’m a moderate right-winger (with certain left wing ideals here and there). **In his/her 30s** Yes. 33. **A writer by profession** No. I would love to be, though. **Gay** No, utterly heterosexual. Being gay would be cool though. Apart from the fact that I don’t find men sexually attractive, I think I’d be good at gayness. Oh well. **Underpaid** Underachieving, so my pay is what I deserve. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/9 "2003-07-08T13:40:37Z")
We’re definitely a collective. But thanks to dumb people like yours truly, we can keep the collective from becoming an evil collective, like the Borg, or something. But then again, people are assimilated rather easily here, aren’t they? They post once, and then they can’t stop for years and years. . . ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/10 "2003-07-08T13:48:32Z")
_Is_ there such a thing? ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/11 "2003-07-08T13:49:03Z")
Intelligence: full up on the book learnin’ but woefully lacking in common sense. Voted most-likely-to-get-lost-in-her-own-bathtub. Also, innuendo is totally wasted on me. Politically: Moderate (I think I’m liberal, but my hubby tells me I’m far more conservative than I think I am.) Age: 35 Professional Writer: If you can 11 years of compiling and publishing State environmental regulations _writing_ then OK. Now, I answer questions from the public and the regulated community. Gay: Nope, married 9 years to Hubby Underpaid: Did I mention I was a State employee? Paid only enough to keep us off the welfare rolls. But I do have WONDERFUL health insurance and benefits, just no cash. ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/12 "2003-07-08T13:49:13Z")
A collective pool of knowledge? The SDMB spans countries and professions… As for me: Yes Yes No I write as a hobby; does that count? No I don’t get paid, as I have no job. My parents give me food and board, though, sometimes in exchange for my English skills. ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/13 "2003-07-08T13:52:22Z")
Yes. Yes, though not as far as some Dopers. No. No, only by hobby. No, only on Thursdays. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/14 "2003-07-08T13:59:23Z")
Yes. Yes. Just barely. No. No. No. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/15 "2003-07-08T14:11:02Z")
Intelligent: there are a lot of knowledgeable people here. I’d suggest that the more active dopers are to the left by European standards. The more vociferous ones tend to the harder left. Age? Well, 30s is a good average, but we’ve got dopers from teenagers to OAPs. Profession: we’ve got all sorts. I’ve seen no indication that writers predominate. Gay? They mention it more often. As far as I can tell, I’m straight, but at 36 I’ve yet to manage so much as a kiss. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/16 "2003-07-08T14:30:16Z")
Hmm. Intelligent? I guess so, but so is a dolphin. Politically left? No. Pretty far right, actually. Age: 30. I’ll fit your average there. Profession: Management. And I can’t write worth a damn. I cant spel either. Gay: No. Although I am happy much of the time. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/17 "2003-07-08T14:34:14Z")
Forgot one! Underpaid? I guess so, but I think most people think they are. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/18 "2003-07-08T15:07:51Z")
I guess one other thing I meant by the OP was What do y’all see as the “statistically average doper”? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/19 "2003-07-08T15:25:10Z")
At this moment, the SMDB has 36,935 members, 189,784 threads, and 3,569,803 posts (including this one). From that, we can conclude that the “average” poster has made 96.65 posts and started about 5.14 threads. And apparently, the average thread gets about 18.8 posts. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978/20 "2003-07-08T15:41:39Z")
Well personally Intelligent - well we’ll see when I get my exam results! In his/her 30s - Way off. I’m 18 A writer by profession - Well I’m a student at the moment, but I want to be a journalist. Gay - I’m bi. Underpaid - I don’t work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-statistically-average-doper/186978.md?page=2)