Do you think human beings are way to intelligent for their own good?

Question

We are destroying the planet with our technology, we are destorying each other with religion. Perhaps we would be better off like animals.

Answer 1

I don't think that is evidence of a surplus of intelligence, more likely a defecit.

Answer 2

Animals kill each other, technology just gives us more effective ways of killing each other, like a monkey that learns to use a club. We are not destroying each other "with religion" but using it as a excuse for our evil desires, animals only kill for survival. Would you feel better being killed with a rock instead of a bullet? We are not really "too intelligent", we are "too impulsive", because in the end their is more profit in peace than any short term gain in war, there is more that we can achieve working together, than against each other. I can barely remember when Ford was President, everything was focused on teh space age, we were supposed to be living on the moon and maybe further into space by now. Instead it's been energy issues and cold war/dirty little backdoor wars around the globe, and for all practical purposes, it might as well be 1974 again, or 1938 some say. Because instead of gearing up for being teh best we can be as humans, nations around teh world are gearing up for war, and we are apt to be dragged into the next global conflict the same way as WW1 and WW2, by surprise. The terrorism thing is just a pawn in the global game for world domination.

Answer 3

I think we have a surplus of intelligence about technical things and a deficit of intelligence about each other.

We can sort out another human beings DNA, but we don't know what makes that person tick.

It seems like we've been interested in learning all there is to know about everything except people. Maybe we wouldn't be so destructive if we'd spend some of this all important money on learning what people actually need to improve their standard of living.

We could survive like animals, but for every negative thing we'd give up (pollution, etc.) there would be positive things we would lose (intellectual conversations, the capacity to learn). That's not to say that we couldn't think without technology. That's preposterous. But we have the TIME now to sort out our thoughts because we aren't all busy doing physical labor just to survive. We seek something more than survival now, for better or worse.

Answer 4

And you are equating intellegence with technology and sociology ?? At the BASE of an intellegent species would be its own survival !!
How can you parallel human activity in this era with anything that even remotely resembles intellegence ??
And this reference to being better off AS animals IS EXACTLY HOW WE ARE LIVING----we just happen to BE animals with technology and a "sense" of what only loosely can be called sociology !!!
And, So, We are not nearly intellegent ENOUGH FOR ANY GOOD AT ALL ---- that's the problem right there !!!!

Answer 5

No, if anything we are not intelligent enough. We have the capability to design magnificent artwork as but alsothe most effective killing machines. We have the ability to make life easier but we make life harder for others and as a result for ourselves.

We need to be more intelligent to be able to overcome our failing like fear, hate, mistrust, greed and intollerance.

Hope this helps

Answer 6

Intelligence is a two sided coin. It can be used for good or ill, and obviously is.

But yes, there is a poem. It is part of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass."

"I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain'd;
I stand and look at them long and long.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition;
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins;
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God;
Not one is dissatisfied—not one is demented with the mania of owning things;
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago;
Not one is respectable or industrious over the whole earth."

Answer 7

Based on the questions on "Yahoo Answers" I'm not convinced that " human beings are way to intelligent".

Answer 8

We have intelligence, but we haven't used it well. We still need to develop an understanding for others and compassion. This is what's most important in times of crisis.

Answer 9

Interesting question. I too have wonderd if maybe our intelligence- was something of a "defect". -A "bad" gene -whose ticking time bomb will one day destroy us all... But then, everything goes extinct sooner or later anyway, so what difference does it make? It's a tough call...

Answer 10

Mis-intelligence or not intelligent enough...to understand the consequences of his actions.