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drrags's review against another edition
2.0
Herrnstein creates the proverbial false dilemma. The IQ test is not without value but it was never intended to be the one and only predictor of future life success.
paigemcloughlin's review against another edition
1.0
video basically puts this puppy to rest. https://youtu.be/UBc7qBS1Ujo
plottingtowin's review against another edition
5.0
One word to describe the book: real.
Although this book is seen as controversial because of the topics that it addresses, these topics only take up a very minor portion of the book. I highly recommend reading the WHOLE book (minus the appendices or notes) before making a judgement on the material. The statistics are well cited and the commentary is neutral. For the commentary that does profess a political view, the authors make sure that the reader is aware that it is opinion and not scientific fact. Murray also addresses critics in the afterword of the book which helps to provide an understanding of why certain sociologists treat this book with hostility.
I was unsure of how the book was going to turn out in the first half/three quarters because there was a lot of statistical jargon and it was a little dense. But the last quarter of the book really brought everything together.
I highly recommend this if you’re interested in understanding American society today (although written in the early 90s I feel that it still applies today). It avoids political correctness and makes an observation of how society is in the 90s.
Although this book is seen as controversial because of the topics that it addresses, these topics only take up a very minor portion of the book. I highly recommend reading the WHOLE book (minus the appendices or notes) before making a judgement on the material. The statistics are well cited and the commentary is neutral. For the commentary that does profess a political view, the authors make sure that the reader is aware that it is opinion and not scientific fact. Murray also addresses critics in the afterword of the book which helps to provide an understanding of why certain sociologists treat this book with hostility.
I was unsure of how the book was going to turn out in the first half/three quarters because there was a lot of statistical jargon and it was a little dense. But the last quarter of the book really brought everything together.
I highly recommend this if you’re interested in understanding American society today (although written in the early 90s I feel that it still applies today). It avoids political correctness and makes an observation of how society is in the 90s.
typodactyl's review against another edition
1.0
If you think this is a good book, read the [b:The Tyranny of Metrics|36644895|The Tyranny of Metrics|Jerry Z. Muller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511400900l/36644895._SY75_.jpg|58414707] next. The question of whether this book is racist or not is how well you understand measurement and what influences it.
Anyone with a lick of scientific background and understands how samples and data can be polluted by influence won't have much use for this book except to understand how racists twist facts and figures to suit their views instead of changing their views based on data.
Anyone with a lick of scientific background and understands how samples and data can be polluted by influence won't have much use for this book except to understand how racists twist facts and figures to suit their views instead of changing their views based on data.
kstumpf's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. That was A LOT of information, and a lot to think about.
I was introduced to this book while reading, How Children Succeed, and Whatever It Takes, both by Paul Tough. These are not easy issues/subjects to address.
After reading a few reviews both before and during my reading of this book, I have decided two things: (1) some people are not going to like this book because of the difficult subject matter and how uncomfortable the content may be, (2) some people obviously did not read the book before their reviews.
Are there difficult, uncomfortable, gut wrenching, pieces of information shared - absolutely.
Is it difficult to read and comprehend - absolutely.
Are there many issues both inherent and externally that have and impact - yes again.
BUT just because the “fix” was not provided, does not mean the thoughts are incorrect.
After having dealt with adults in the business world on every imaginable distribution along the IQ scale, there was NOTHING I could do to help some of the associates I worked with. While others, I could not believe how quickly he/she progressed. These were not college educated people, they were every day citizens from all walks of life and a variety of SES, home life situations, family structures.
Do I have all the answers? No. But after reading this book it has helped me understand people that I interact with on a daily basis on a different level.
A different environment can be helpful. A two parent household can be helpful. A higher SES situation can be helpful. But none are a cure all.
I was introduced to this book while reading, How Children Succeed, and Whatever It Takes, both by Paul Tough. These are not easy issues/subjects to address.
After reading a few reviews both before and during my reading of this book, I have decided two things: (1) some people are not going to like this book because of the difficult subject matter and how uncomfortable the content may be, (2) some people obviously did not read the book before their reviews.
Are there difficult, uncomfortable, gut wrenching, pieces of information shared - absolutely.
Is it difficult to read and comprehend - absolutely.
Are there many issues both inherent and externally that have and impact - yes again.
BUT just because the “fix” was not provided, does not mean the thoughts are incorrect.
After having dealt with adults in the business world on every imaginable distribution along the IQ scale, there was NOTHING I could do to help some of the associates I worked with. While others, I could not believe how quickly he/she progressed. These were not college educated people, they were every day citizens from all walks of life and a variety of SES, home life situations, family structures.
Do I have all the answers? No. But after reading this book it has helped me understand people that I interact with on a daily basis on a different level.
A different environment can be helpful. A two parent household can be helpful. A higher SES situation can be helpful. But none are a cure all.
bookclubtrivia's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty racist, and their suggested solutions are basically “every man for himself” which just feels super backwards to me.
But they do make a few good points:
High schoolers are not motivated to try hard, because there’s no benefit (only one test matters, and only if you want to go to an Ivy).
The introduction of TV may have affected verbal IQ scores.
People of different abilities exist in society, and those with the lowest IQs struggle to survive due to complicated bureaucracy (ever tried to do your own taxes?) and wages that won’t support a household. They suggest that the earned income tax credit can help, and I agree, although I think minimum wage should go up as well and that both should be tied to inflation. I also think the EIC should be a graded amount like tax brackets, not just an automatic drop-off. The amount awarded goes down as income goes up, and the total should be enough to bring a full-time employee enough money to pay rent and survive.
I don’t think bringing race into it was necessary by any means; I think the whole point was for them to complain about affirmative action. There’s no way black IQs are an entire standard deviation below white ones, and if they are, there are certainly outside factors making it so. I do think IQ matters, to an extent, but I honestly think emotional intelligence is a better predictor of success.
Also smart women would have more babies if we had paid maternity/paternity leave, universal healthcare, and if climate change wasn’t destroying our future.
But they do make a few good points:
High schoolers are not motivated to try hard, because there’s no benefit (only one test matters, and only if you want to go to an Ivy).
The introduction of TV may have affected verbal IQ scores.
People of different abilities exist in society, and those with the lowest IQs struggle to survive due to complicated bureaucracy (ever tried to do your own taxes?) and wages that won’t support a household. They suggest that the earned income tax credit can help, and I agree, although I think minimum wage should go up as well and that both should be tied to inflation. I also think the EIC should be a graded amount like tax brackets, not just an automatic drop-off. The amount awarded goes down as income goes up, and the total should be enough to bring a full-time employee enough money to pay rent and survive.
I don’t think bringing race into it was necessary by any means; I think the whole point was for them to complain about affirmative action. There’s no way black IQs are an entire standard deviation below white ones, and if they are, there are certainly outside factors making it so. I do think IQ matters, to an extent, but I honestly think emotional intelligence is a better predictor of success.
Also smart women would have more babies if we had paid maternity/paternity leave, universal healthcare, and if climate change wasn’t destroying our future.
sbenzell's review against another edition
2.0
Waaaaaaaaaaay too long. Also racist. But it is a very provocative and pretty well written introduction to an important literature. For those able to separate wheat from chaff, that's better than boring. Putting aside the racist stuff, we do have strong reason (from twin studies) to believe that part of intelligence is inherited, and that is really important for social scientists/planners to understand. I'd reccomend that someone interested in the social implications of IQ start elsewhere though.
lucas12345's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Kinda mid a lot about policy and IQ and it is a bit out dated.