Friday, March 30, 2018

South Africa: A failure of Merit.


By Andrew Atkin:

South Africa is a tragedy. It went from a prosperous tyranny of apartheid, to an imploding tyranny of the incompetent. It achieved this in just a few short decades. South Africa is now on the brink of a White genocide, directly promoted by its new leadership.












South Africa provides an extreme example of what happens when a country of limited education and intellect embraces democracy, without respect to merit. And from here I must point out some uncomfortable truths to make my point.

The sub-Saharan average Black IQ is about 70. The average White IQ is about 100. Though I believe the IQ test to be an approximate measure of institutional intelligence, and not necessarily overall intelligence, the black-to-white IQ gap is nonetheless striking. It's too big to be brushed-off as a mere superficial or meaningless measure.

What should also be respected is that the sub-Saharan Black man has a brain that is notably smaller than both Whites and Asians (about 8% smaller) and that Blacks have a faster physical and mental maturity. This suggests that the IQ difference is probably biological, at least to some degree. Also indicative is that sub-Saharan Blacks show strong signs of being less intelligent in terms of cultural advancement. They do not seem to progress without direct external leadership, for even when the opportunities for development are presented to them.

All of this is true, yet we're not allowed to believe it (you racist!). Or, if the mainstream media can have its way, we're not even allowed to know it.

I can respect that these facts are hurtful if insensitively handled, which obviously is why this conversation is taboo. However, sometimes uncomfortable facts need to be appreciated to avoid even more painful potentials. And this is where South Africa--and intentional do-gooders--have failed and failed badly.

Without meaning to excuse the worst of apartheid, we have completely ignored the fact that sub-Saharan Blacks, as a group, are not as capable of running a modern western civilization as the White South African population. And we have likewise overturned what was a crudely meritocratic system, in exchange for a kind of blind idealistic faith in democracy. We put wishful-thinking ahead of realism and now, alas, the blood is on our hands.

Well thank you, South Africa. Your social experiment has made quite a statement. We can no longer argue that democracy does not need to be conditioned with controls for merit. If the general populous is grossly under or mis-educated, or of low intelligence, then you're asking for trouble.

So what is the solution for South Africa, today? How can South Africa go back to being the envy of the African continent for both Whites and Blacks alike? No, it should not be apartheid. Apartheid was a racist system, and of course people should be measured as individuals. However, South Africa still needs a political system rooted in MERIT if it is to ever prosper again.

My suggestion: Don't let anyone vote unless they have an IQ of at least 100. Don't let anyone take a position in high public office, if they do not have an IQ of at least 120.

IQ is a somewhat crude measuring rod, I know, but over averages (which is what counts) it is effective. It will work.

You would be foolish to think that a system like what I propose will not represent the interests of the less intelligent people, in material terms. Unintelligent people are notorious for voting for what looks good over what actually is good, because they simply don't link cause-to-effect with policy well. They think they're buying candy but too often end up with crap.

Also the idea of tempering democracy with meritocracy is not alien to us. We don't let young children vote because they're clueless, right? Of course. This principle needs to be expanded to adults of limited ability as well. And it should happen everywhere, world over. We would all be much better off for it, and better protected from the bleak potential of a thoughtless mob racing to the polls.

8 comments:

  1. Excellent article. It is a great pity that the words "Racist" and "PC" muzzle the press and the actions of many governments, so leading to and exacerbating such situations. It is also a pity that many believe that a lesser degree of this is acceptable, not realising that it has an inevitable tendency to expand unless checked by positive action.

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    1. Thank you. And yeah, usually it's not a good idea to parade the weaknesses of others, but sometimes you have to be realistic to do the right thing. SA is such a morbid example of our failure.

      -Andrew Atkin

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  2. I'm going to disagree with your assessment of the failure of SA being due to low IQ. That reasoning supposes that the Africans running the country now are incapable of understanding what they are doing, which is false.

    Running a successful democracy, even a corrupt one, isn't that hard. What you can't do a run a country with vengeance and retribution as the only objectives. Those elected official are simply fulfilling their campaign promises. When SA ultimately fails, the blame will fall on the legacy of apartheid, racism and colonialism.

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    1. Of course the Blacks are emotional - and more impulsive. How an intelligent person responds to those feelings is different. They will not cut off their nose despite their face.

      And there is no doubt that less intelligent people vote badly. The fact that their leadership is operating on a terrible mandate only validates my point.

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  3. Btw, Operating a successful democracy is indeed hard and always has been. It's a relentless fight against the forces of toxic mass propaganda.

    Also note, if South Africa's failure is from nasty Mr White guy, then how do we explain the rest of sub-Saharan Africa? Remember South Africa was the historic envy of all of Africa for Whites *and* Blacks.

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  4. I agree that running a democracy requires enteral vigilance against the seductive forces that you mention. But that work is not outside that grasp of the common people IMO. And I do remember SA previous envy. That doesn't preclude smart people can make dumb decisions for a whole host of reasons.

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    1. Absolutely, academic types can be spectacularly stupid in their own right. But it's the averages that count for democratic process.

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  5. This is what South African Blacks need to watch. 35 mins.

    https://youtu.be/vqEaablct6o

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