An astonishing minority.

http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/IQgenes.htm

fresco, man, that is a whole book to read. High IQ and hard work make clever kids.

Didn't even need to open the link to know who that group was....

Smartest group of people in the world.

Well, as an Ashkenazi Jew I like that link. I do have a plethora of doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs in my family, but I have to admit that whenever I had a calculus test in school I always tried to cheat off the Chinese guy.

Calculus isn't everything dollink.

Hmm. I'm a quarter Ashkenazi Jewish (and a quarter Sephardic Jewish), so you'd think I'd like this, but I'm highly suspicious of it.

Just for example, it says that Ashkenazi Jews marry other Ashkenazi Jews at a higher rate than is usual. Well, why do they do THAT? Is that fact explained by genetics, too? Couldn't it be that the same social forces that cause Ashkenazi Jews to be more likely to marry other Ashkenazi Jews also result in an emphasis on the importance and value of intellectual pursuit?

Because their mothers tell them to.

Well, exactly!

Their mothers also tell them to be a doctor/ lawyer/ professor...

See we really are smart . What other group actually listens to what their mothers tells them?

Ones that know that they won't have to deal with a guilt trip extraordinaire if they don't comply?

Smartest people in the world...

So, is it because of culture or genetics?

If you read the link you will see the theory is one led to the other.

Sorry, too many words in the link and not enough time to read it all. I guess I'm not one of the smart ones.

The 'good genes' explanation is too easy. Genius is 90% sweat, according to Einstein.
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There was a time when almost all great violinists were Jewish. Determination and endless practice brought that about. Now we have some Asian violin geniuses who sweat rivers to become the best.
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The MVP in the NBA is a short (6'3") guy who is neither black nor American. He is the best because he put a lot of work and desire into his play. (Steve Nash).
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In any case, the Jews are very special and have been very generous to mankind with their achievements.
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http://www.yahoodi.com/famous/index.html

Here's the Reader's Digest version:

Early on the most intellectual of Jews remained Jews and did not become Christian. Jews married Jews.

Fast forward to Europe. Many everyday occupations like farming were forbidden to Jews because they were not allowed to wone tracks of land. Instead Jews went into professions that Christians were forbidden like money lending (future bankers) and tax collectors (future accountants) etc.
Jews had to marry Jews because they would have to convert to marry a Christian.

The Jews that survived the persecutions of the past had to rely on their
brains to survive. If they didn't have the brain power they perished thus leaving the smartest ones to make more little Jews.

Doctor/lawyer/dentist/accountant-- then professor, teaching doesn't pay as well.

True, true.

Oy, and if you can't become a doctor/lawyer/dentist/accountant, then you marry one.

Another thought occurred to me: When you are rich, fewer people spit on you. Life is easier and safer.
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It pays to stop being poor.