barry-cotter

> The genetic arguments in the book draw the most criticism and yet the book has much else offer as Clark notes. For example:

>>Social status is inherited as strongly as height. Even relatives as distant as nine generations apart, 270 years, still show significant correlation in social status.

> That is a very striking finding–especially given the intervening industrial revolution, multiple wars, huge changes in social mores etc.–but if it stands, it does so independent of the genetic explanation.

> The fact that this monumental and challenging book–right or wrong–cannot find a major academic publisher is an intellectual scandal. The editors at Princeton University Press and the University of Chicago Press should be ashamed.

https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/10/th...

You’re projecting a disability onto the general population. Most people are capable of socialising and propagating the idea they’re not is a service to no one.

You’re projecting a disability onto the general population. Most people are capable of socialising and propagating the idea they’re not is a service to no one.

> HDI is a good metric for gauging living standards

A country with living standards at Bill Gates levels with perfect good health until 200 where everyone is illiterate has a lower HDI than South Sudan. Even if we fix it by setting the minimum education value at 0.1 billionaires with perfect health land would have a HDI lower than 180 countries. HDI has a 90%+ correlation with GDP. It’s not a worthwhile measure.

Those are the same argument. The idea that “I’m the moderate and if you don’t vote for my position, you’ll get the extremist” is a form of blackmail.