[karmacondon]

These things have been true for all of human history and yet, Flynn Effect. People considered to be intellectual have always been outnumbered by non-intellectuals, but the numbers of both are increasing absolutely. Intelligence may be heritable, but it isn't absolutely so. In the same way that short parents occasionally have tall children, some people have children that are significantly more or less intelligent than they are. Plus environment, personality formation, etc.

I'm not very familiar with Peter Thiel's theories but it's possible that the pace of innovation is just increasing logrithmically. The further technology advances, the more difficult it becomes to make breakthroughs. The average person in 2014 is smarter and more equipped with basic information than the average person was 100 years ago, plus we have access to the internet. IF innovation is slowing, it's not because people are getting dumber.

I'm not sure that intelligence is a prerequisite for innovative ideas anyway. Henry Ford wasn't exactly an intellectual, but he had ideas that revolutionized production. Fetishizing intellect may not be the only path to a better future and we should be wary of equating it with social benefit.

[peterfirefly]

> These things have been true for all of human history [...]

They have not, actually. Not b and certainly not c.