Hypercompetent 'Average' Citizens

[AlexanderHowl]

I do not think that they would necessarily be gulags (though the possibility does exist) but societal preserves. If they were forced to compete with people who possessed a 200 CP template, they would likely fail quite hard, as there would be no real jobs for them. While there would be individual exceptions, the majority of the baseline humans would end up unable to keep up with their upgraded peers.

For example, consider let us consider contemporary high school. In effect, contemporary high school functions so that people with IQ 9 can pass with a C average (IQ 10 with a B average and IQ 11 with a A average). Remedial classes exist to allow people with IQ 8 to pass with a C and advanced clases exist to challenge people with IQ 12 so that they have to work for an A. In college, an undergraduate degree requires an IQ 10 while a graduate degree requires an IQ 11.

In a future where IQ 12 is the average IQ though, people with IQ 10 would need remedial classes to pass with a C while advanced classes would be geared for people with IQ 14. Undergraduate degrees would require an IQ 12 while terminal degrees would require an IQ 13. Someone with IQ 10 just would not be able to attend college because they would be incapable of handling the rigor of the classes. Even an associates degree would likely be too difficult for them because it would have the equivalent intellectual rigor a graduate degree.

Since they would be treated as intellectually challenged by their upgraded peers, they would likely feel alone and isolated. After a while, they would likely petition their government for their own worlds, where they could be protected from competition by their upgraded peers. In such a world, the TL might be a sustainable version of TL9 safetech, as TL10 technology might be too challenging to the identity of the baseline humans.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I do not think that they would necessarily be gulags (though the possibility does exist) but societal preserves. If they were forced to compete with people who possessed a 200 CP template, they would likely fail quite hard, as there would be no real jobs for them. While there would be individual exceptions, the majority of the baseline humans would end up unable to keep up with their upgraded peers.

For example, consider let us consider contemporary high school. In effect, contemporary high school functions so that people with IQ 9 can pass with a C average (IQ 10 with a B average and IQ 11 with a A average). Remedial classes exist to allow people with IQ 8 to pass with a C and advanced clases exist to challenge people with IQ 12 so that they have to work for an A. In college, an undergraduate degree requires an IQ 10 while a graduate degree requires an IQ 11.

In a future where IQ 12 is the average IQ though, people with IQ 10 would need remedial classes to pass with a C while advanced classes would be geared for people with IQ 14. Undergraduate degrees would require an IQ 12 while terminal degrees would require an IQ 13. Someone with IQ 10 just would not be able to attend college because they would be incapable of handling the rigor of the classes. Even an associates degree would likely be too difficult for them because it would have the equivalent intellectual rigor a graduate degree.

Since they would be treated as intellectually challenged by their upgraded peers, they would likely feel alone and isolated. After a while, they would likely petition their government for their own worlds, where they could be protected from competition by their upgraded peers. In such a world, the TL might be a sustainable version of TL9 safetech, as TL10 technology might be too challenging to the identity of the baseline humans.

How dystopian... That might be a neat setting. An entire society confined to one world, and thus loosing out on humanity's destiny among the stars... until that moment when they have had enough! Dunh-Dunh-Dunh!

Or, as another alternative without the gulag, roleplaying in GATTACA. I might also find that very interesting, though probably not as one of the elite. The underclass would be much more interesting.

I'm the kind of guy who thinks that Eponine is much more interesting than Cosette. Because Cosette is kinda boring, y'know. I have no idea what in the hell Marius ever saw in her...

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by acrosome

I'm the kind of guy who thinks that Eponine is much more interesting than Cosette. Because Cosette is kinda boring, y'know. I have no idea what in the hell Marius ever saw in her...

That's kind of like saying you like Mary Anne better than Ginger. Not exactly shocking or rare, to put it mildly. ;)

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by acrosome

I have no idea what in the hell Marius ever saw in her...

Shiny hair, clear complexion, white teeth, symmetrical limbs and features, and a waist-to-hip ratio of two to three — indications of health and good nutrition.

[Pbuckley]

It is notable that even without the dystopian nightmare that is a forcibly rewritten genetic code that will likely make humans more docile and subservient to the government...

The average IQ has actually been going up every year, they actually have to increase the "Value" a little bit every year to keep 100 at the human average (which is what it is supposed to represent) when means that humans are likely to get smarter in the future, however it's possible that our ST and HT will decline as we come to live in much more soft and sterile environments that are less physically demanding.

Furthermore different planets will likely have different requirements for living there, so genetic alteration might be necessary to live on certain planets on a long term basis. So a universal template is actually fairly unlikely.

But it's your disto... utopia, if you want it to be populated by a race of genetically modified creepily uniform Übermensch that's your prerogative.

[AlexanderHowl]

In GURPS, there really has been no statistically significant increase in attributes over the last ten thousand years. Anyway, reported increases in IQ scores are likely due to the spread of universal eduction rather than anything else.

Now, there is something to be said about making templates that represent the horrific conditions that humans have faced in their history, but that is nurture rather than nature. Improving the average capabilities of humans (without subtracting any of the taboo traits) could be interpreted as a noble endeavor, especially if it is universally applied rather than being restricted to social elites.

Of course, there will always be people who will not want their children to be better than them, as well as those who are afraid of genetic engineering, so they would oppose such technology. There will also be people who oppose the subsidization of universal templates because they want corporations to design new types of humanity, because they oppose any improvements in social welfare, or because they want to restrict such technology to the social elites, so they will oppose such universal subsidization.

In my own case, I would see something like Eve as a utopian design rather than a dystopian design, especially if it was universally subsidized. I really cannot think of a reason why anyone would not want the traits given by Eve, especially since they would not have to give up their humanity to benefit from them. They would be human+ rather than transhuman, and I think that most people could more easily accept human+ rather than transhumans.

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

For example, consider let us consider contemporary high school. In effect, contemporary high school functions so that people with IQ 9 can pass with a C average (IQ 10 with a B average and IQ 11 with a A average). Remedial classes exist to allow people with IQ 8 to pass with a C and advanced clases exist to challenge people with IQ 12 so that they have to work for an A. In college, an undergraduate degree requires an IQ 10 while a graduate degree requires an IQ 11.

Citation needed.

In any case, IQ is obviously not the only determinant of academic success.

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Of course, there will always be people who will not want their children to be better than them, as well as those who are afraid of genetic engineering, so they would oppose such technology. There will also be people who oppose the subsidization of universal templates because they want corporations to design new types of humanity, because they oppose any improvements in social welfare, or because they want to restrict such technology to the social elites, so they will oppose such universal subsidization.

Or, in other words, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In GURPS, there really has been no statistically significant increase in attributes over the last ten thousand years.

Dutch men have got 20 cm taller in 150 years, and that is easily good for a +1 ST.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...le-are-so-tall

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Dutch men have got 20 cm taller in 150 years, and that is easily good for a +1 ST.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...le-are-so-tall

And a lot of traits which GURPS calls Disadvantages correlate strongly with a deprived or abusive childhood, and its fairly clear that these things are less common in say Bavaria in 2010 than Bavaria in 1810.

There is a C.J. Chivers paper explaining that one reason most Afghanis can't shoot very well is that many of them have poor vision or cataracts (high elevation = strong UV) and no glasses or surgery. Someone with a bad tapeworm infection might have lower HT or Unfit. Someone who spends their childhood in a sweatshop might have reduced IQ from reduced chances to learn too many "thinky skills" to bother enumerating. Somebody who was physically abused might have Bad Temper or reduced Move.

Edit: Indoor living around open fires also does bad things to health. People like the Huron and the Haudenosaunee had many lung and eye problems which might be represented in GURPS with reduced Per or HT or Unfit.