Intelligent people drink more alcohol, studies show

some random drunk

Drunk people may do some stupid things, but two studies are showing people who drink more are actually smarter. This is according to data from the National Child Development Study in the U.K. and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in the U.S. Researchers measured kids intelligence before they turned 16 and put them in one of five categories ranging from very bright to very dull.
The Americans were revisited seven years later and the Brits were followed in their 20s, 30 and 40s, reports Discovery News.

In both studies the smarter children ended up drinking more alcohol later in life. They ended up drinking more often and in greater quantities when compared to the duller kids.

more here: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/smarter-people-drink-alcohol-more-often-studies-195846264.html

Well I've always known we are a nation of geniuses, what do ye folks make of this?

saintsaltynuts

What a load of Shi*e.

dodderangler

And?
Dumb thick stupid smart brainiac geek
We all fcukin drink

Shryke

I saw research before that said the same thing. Also higher levels of drug abuse in general and higher levels of depression.
It's not some kind of catch all, but a higher tendency.

frozenfrozen

Stupid people are already happy

NegativeCreep

This just proves what I already knew. Im a fúcking genius!

Smarter people have more to worry about!

OneArt

I feel suddenly better about my five-day bender.

UCDVet

I wonder if it's a religious thing?

Smart people are less likely to be religious and I think most religions say not to drink?

Real Life

frozenfrozen wrote: »

Stupid people are already happy

this is very true. ive no scientific evidence to back this up but i conducted some research among people i know.
Pretty much everyone who i would consider to be on the more intelligent side and more rational thinking drink more, are more depressed and use drugs.

The others just never think about anything else out there but just go along with whats happening in their lives day to day and keep a positive outlook.

Max Power

Seems legit

UCDVet

UCDVet wrote: »

I wonder if it's a religious thing?

Smart people are less likely to be religious and I think most religions say not to drink?

Religious people prey to their god to sort out their problems, thus passing the buck as they assume god will worry for them.

jasonmcco

some random drunk wrote: »

more here: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/smarter-people-drink-alcohol-more-often-studies-195846264.html

Well I've always known we are a nation of geniuses, what do ye folks make of this?

What i would take from this is that maybe intelligent people drink more to block out the pain of what their intelligent mind exposes them to(seeing the world and all its shortcoming probably depresses the intelligent more coz they are more aware of it)

jasonmcco

Real Life wrote: »

this is very true. ive no scientific evidence to back this up but i conducted some research among people i know.
Pretty much everyone who i would consider to be on the more intelligent side and more rational thinking drink more, are more depressed and use drugs.

The others just never think about anything else out there but just go along with whats happening in their lives day to day and keep a positive outlook.

Ignorance is bliss

zom

some random drunk wrote: »

Well I've always known we are a nation of geniuses, what do ye folks make of this?

I coudnt find anything more recent - 2008 chart:

http://bigotblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/alcohol_consumption_per_capita_world_map.png

Seems like we were the smartest along with Moldavians and Hungarians.

Scanlas The 2nd

It wouldn't surprise me, thinking too much generally removes joy from life. Often people use drugs and alcohol to replace the joy of life that relentless thought has removed.

Abi

I must be a fúcking genius then.

brummytom

It wouldn't really surprise me. I remember reading a while ago that depression was correlational with intelligence - clever people see life for the shítstorm it really is, so it makes sense they'd drink more to get over that.

Standard Toaster

we are all jin hthe gutter, but some of uis are lozoking at the stwars.


/hics

Princess Peach

Abi wrote: »

I must be a fúcking genius then.

Let's all form a mensa group, drinks served.

the_syco

Lets see... the smarter you are the more money you make, thus the more drink you can afford. Make sense.

B.A._Baracus

UCDVet wrote: »

I wonder if it's a religious thing?

Smart people are less likely to be religious and I think most religions say not to drink?

trolling post?

Haelium

Several problems I can see with the study, but it might just be the article not explaining it properly.

1 - Measuring IQ for children is difficult due to differences in how quickly some children develop mentally compared to other children. Was their IQ measured again as adults?
2 - IQ itself is rather shakey.
3 - Both studies took place in western countries with similar cultures. If the same study was done in France or Germany there could be a completely different outcome.
4 - How big was the sample? For all we know there was 20 people studied, in which case the study would be useless.

Not saying the study was useless, just looking for more details. The media tends to leave details out when reporting scientific studies.

Shryke

Haelium wrote: »

Several problems I can see with the study, but it might just be the article not explaining it properly.

1 - Measuring IQ for children is difficult due to differences in how quickly some children develop mentally compared to other children. Was their IQ measured again as adults?
2 - IQ itself is rather shakey.
3 - Both studies took place in western countries with similar cultures. If the same study was done in France or Germany there could be a completely different outcome.
4 - How big was the sample? For all we know there was 20 people studied, in which case the study would be useless.

Not saying the study was useless, just looking for more details. The media tends to leave details out when reporting scientific studies.

I guess once someone invents the internet you'll be able to do a search pretty easily on that sort of thing.

TeddyTedson

Sweeping generalisations as such never warrant much merit.
However I understand that deep thinkers would want to escape their own mind from time to time. We all have our vices. The pacman is a big drinker for example, but then so too is Twink...

It does of course destroy brain cells too

Haelium

Shryke wrote: »

I guess once someone invents the internet you'll be able to do a search pretty easily on that sort of thing.

Did a search, didn't find any details on the methodology, but I did find this:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/addiction-in-society/201011/why-do-smarter-healthier-and-richer-people-drink-moderately

Allyall

Rumoured to be from Cheers.. But apparently not true.

“Well, you see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

Defiler Of The Coffin

Alcohol can make you feel smarter, many's a problem was solved on the barstool and forgotten about the next day!

MagicSean

The intelligent ones know when to stop though.

Tom_Cruise

How do you measure intelligence anyway?

I want to measure my intelligence
(Im pretty sure im a genius)

Defiler Of The Coffin

MagicSean wrote: »

The intelligent ones know when to stop though.

Indeed, after puking all over the floor and tearing up the jacks it's probably time to stop.