Half the population is below average intelligence

Whenever I come across some action or belief that seems really dumb, I console myself with the thought that half the population is below average* intelligence. Of course, it might be me that is being dumb by not recognizing the brilliance of that action or belief, but I prefer to think otherwise 🙂

Anyway, the thing that inspired this posting was coming across a quote by Isaac Newton. So here are quotes from the two greatest scientific geniuses who ever lived.

I can calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people — Isaac Newton

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former — Albert Einstein

* Yes, I mean median, although in a large enough population the mean and the median supposedly converge. And yes, I’m also aware that a certain number of people will actually be at the median intelligence, which makes the statement that half the people are below the median not precisely true. But still, you get the point.