What if it's so exciting that I pee my pants?

I'm Angela Duckworth.

I'm Stephen Dubner.

And you're listening to no stupid questions.

Today on the show, are humans becoming smarter or stupider?

Don't read so much because you'll have to wear glasses and then you'll be ugly.

Also, can you increase your aptitude for curiosity?

Was it Shakespeare said curiosity killeth the cat?

He he he.

Stephen.

Angela.

Yes, whether we are smarter or stupider as a species now compared to a hundred years ago.

Hmm.

Unless this is a trick question.

It is not a trick question.

Unless you have some very surprising definition of smart and stupid, I cannot imagine that we're

not on average smarter now than compared to a hundred years ago.

I actually, by the way, don't think it's the obvious choice.

I think that if you went and asked a hundred people, do you think that the human species

has globally gotten dumb or smarter or stayed the same?

Really, you think people would say dumb or?

I think there's a call here for a freakingomics poll.

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