Intelligence and how it relates to being a superpower

[ninjaturt]

I lived in Korea for about two years, and I would talk to Korean women and men about like educational goals and things like that. Then I would talk to my American friends who didn't seem to want to do things like physics and other mathematical studies. They also didn't show any desire to want to learn more than what they did in High school

. Now I have had this idea that maybe an average asian is smarter than the average american. The only thing that I can't comprehend is if this is true, then why is America still the number one superpower? Why is there the appeal about going to an American college? I understand the prestige that it carries, but I can't fathom why there are not more asian superpowers, if they are smarter than many Americans. I am just curious as to what your thoughts are. I'm not rooting for one or the other, it is just a question someone asked me when I stated my ideas about Koreans. I could not find a proper response.

[ninjaturt]

Is this a bad question?

[Boerseun]

Being a Superpower depends on a lot more variables than mere intelligence.

 

For instance, the Romans took the mantle of regional superpower from the Greeks by being more militaristic and better at administration than the Greeks. The Greeks excelled in "useless" pursuits like Philosophy, Science and Mathematics, whilst the Romans were very unimaginative administrators and warmongers. "Intelligence" didn't really help the Greeks very much.

 

Same with America today. It's a bit hard to topple the US from its perch when it has a military budget as big as the next twenty biggest countries together.

 

So, apart from your question being inherently racist, "intelligence", if there is in fact a difference, isn't the only requirement. The proven difference that exist between the maths capabilities between Asians, Europeans and Africans might also be more telling of early stimulation the children receive in their pre-school days, which again is dependent on cultural practices. A true test will pitch Asian orphans who grew up from birth with European parents against European orphans who grew up from birth with Asian parents. I'm not aware of any such study.

 

And then there's the military/economic aspects attached to Superpower status. Militarily, the US rules. No question about that. Economically, China and Japan are veritable World Superpowers. So I guess the issue has more aspects than your question raises.

[ninjaturt]

Just for the record I'm Caucasian. Yeah the more I think of it now, during WWII Japan had an empire on most of the east. I guess it is more than just intelligence, but I know that china is supposed to be the next superpower.