Yeah, I remember reading that post, and definitely disagreed with it. She's right about how intelligence testing has been used, but I don't think that's a reason to throw out the entire concept altogether.

She's right about how intelligence testing has been used, but I don't think that's a reason to throw out the entire concept altogether.

Yes - there's a HUGE difference between saying "IQ tests are flawed and have been used to justify all sort of horrific racism/etc" and saying "No human being is more or less intelligent than any other human being," and she seems to be conflating the two in a big way.

[eta: And while I can see where she's coming from with the "let's stop testing intelligence and just teach everyone everything" stuff, I'd be pretty fucking uncomfortable in a world where that line of thinking extended to, say, medical school.]

Also, people seem to ascribe a lot to physical functioning, which I know I'm not good at. I've told people my functional limitations and been told "But you're so smart..." hello? different parts of brain. Yes, I think it's freaky too. But here we are. Basically, I'm wired like a Fiat. Only Tony took one look and decided he's not a miracle worker and they don't pay enough anyway so... Jessica, yes. You don't want me in engineering...you just don't.my proportions are all off and I count on my fingers sometimes. Am I as smart as an engineer? Sometimes, sometimes not.

Seems like most of my weekend has been kidnapped by homework (frankly, I somewhat fast forwarded the past hour of even more articles) and house chores.

Please send help, and/or a time machine.

I was just now invited to a birthday party on Monday for a friend who is going to be in from England for Thanksgiving. It's too late to order pounds for a gift, and I don't want to get her anything that will take up too much room in her luggage. Does anyone have any ideas?

Doctor Who comics? Obama comics?

I'm not sure she is a comic fan.

Turkey jerky?

I'm out of ideas.

She's got a couple points here, that I think she's muddling pretty much.(Pointing it out might make me The Man in her eyes, though.Which is a new one for me, gotta say.) 1.Cognitive testing has been badly misused throughout history.(No doubt. I think she is too hard on Binet here...he did the research for an entirely different purpose than the one it was ultimately used for.) 2. Cognitive testing does not tell the full story of a person's life... can't argue here, either. My ACTs kinda stunk up the place, comparatively. But somehow that gets all wrapped up in the cultural preference for verbal fluency and all kinds of other shit. But then, I also like cleverness and verbal fluency too...in fact, they sometimes get me hot. Does that make me a Tom or something? Ok, I admit it might be a fetish once it makes me crush on Alan Grayson, but then I'm a pervert, not an ableist.

Cereal: Kind of want to post the previous and watch Crip Blogger Lady's head spin off. But that's kind of why I'm not really in the Movement anymore. They don't get me either. sj: gift card or like, zoo membership.