Garett Jones - Immigration, National IQ, & Less Democracy
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IQ & Economy
The relationship between national IQ and economic productivity is a focal point in the discussion. suggests that increasing a country's average IQ can significantly boost its GDP, although the effects may take generations to manifest 1. He emphasizes the importance of clustering intelligent individuals in innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, where their contributions can have global impacts 2.
There's something multiplicative. That's all I have to say is, like, it's something somehow this all taps into Adam Smith's pin factory and we have multiplicative, not additive effects when we're increasing brain power.
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Jones argues that while market signals are useful, they should not be the sole determinant in the allocation of intelligence, advocating for a balance between market-driven and academic pursuits 2.
Boosting IQ
Boosting national IQ through public health and education is seen as a virtuous cycle. highlights the role of nutrition and health in improving cognitive abilities, especially in poorer countries 3. He supports voluntary genetic selection as a means to enhance intelligence, suggesting that it could lead to beneficial societal outcomes 4.
Iodine, basic childhood nutrition, reliable health care to prevent the worst kinds of just mild childhood infections that are probably creating what economists sometimes call health insults.
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Jones also discusses the potential of relocating children from low-IQ countries to those with better health outcomes, although he warns of the long-term implications on institutional quality 3.
Elite Dynamics
The impact of a highly intelligent elite on national success is profound. Jones argues that elite IQ can drive significant scientific and intellectual breakthroughs, benefiting society at large 5. However, he warns that increasing the variance in IQ without raising the mean could have detrimental effects, particularly in democracies 5.
The positive externalities of innovation... the innovation of the elite just swamp the negatives of the low skilled among us.
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He also notes that while high IQ individuals are generally more cooperative, they can pose risks if societal conditions become zero-sum, as their intelligence may be used for self-serving purposes 6.