The Rise of Homo Idioticus: Are We Getting More Stupid?

Are we turning into Homo idioticus?

Source: Cezary Pietrasik

It’s not just a feeling—evidence suggests we may, in fact, be getting dumber. The concept is not satire, nor is it a punchline. It’s a measurable, observable trend known as the Negative Flynn Effect: a documented decline in IQ scores in developed countries over the past few decades. And while intelligence is a complex and multifaceted trait, the implications of this trend reach far beyond simple test scores.

From the Flynn Effect to Its Downfall

In the 1980s, New Zealand intelligence researcher James R. Flynn identified a consistent rise in IQ scores across the world throughout the 20th century. This became known as the Flynn Effect and was initially interpreted as evidence of humanity getting smarter—perhaps thanks to better nutrition, education, and healthcare.

But by the 1990s, the trend reversed.

The first major alarm came from Norway. Because of its compulsory military service, the country had amassed a massive database of cognitive testing—covering more than 730,000 young men from 1962 to today. What researchers found was stunning: IQ scores peaked among those born around 1975 and have been declining since. The average drop is about 7 points per generation.

Flynn himself later confirmed similar trends in the UK, where teenagers in the 2000s tested lower than their 1980s counterparts. And it wasn’t just a fluke—researchers across the world observed the same pattern in developed countries.

Why Are We Losing Our Edge?

One prominent theory is that the decline isn’t genetic but environmental—a reflection of how modern life is reshaping our brains. Today’s children grow up immersed in a world of screens, scrolling, and superficial content. Quick dopamine hits from social media and 30-second videos have replaced deep reading and problem-solving. Educational systems, pressured to meet standardized benchmarks, often "teach to the test" rather than nurture independent thinking.

Even daily digital distractions have an impact: Studies suggest that just checking your phone or email can temporarily reduce IQ by up to 10 points. If that’s the cognitive cost of a ping, what is the cost of a life lived online?

We’ve also lost traditional filters of intellectual quality. Before social media, books and journalism underwent rigorous editing. Now, content floods our feeds without any such gatekeeping. As a result, many people are absorbing the thoughts not of experts or educators but of influencers, bloggers, and pseudocelebrities—some of whom couldn’t pass a high school exam.

As the saying goes: We are what we eat. And in the digital age, we are what we consume with our eyes and ears.

The Hidden Epidemic: Functional Illiteracy

Perhaps even more alarming than IQ decline is the rise of functional illiteracy—the inability to perform basic reading and math tasks necessary for everyday life.

In the UK, for instance, 1 in 10 people couldn’t identify the better deal between a 10% discount and a £30 discount on a £250 television (the latter saves more money, but sounds less appealing to the innumerate). In the EU, up to 40% of adults in countries like Romania and Portugal are considered functionally illiterate. Even in high-performing Sweden, that number is still 8%.

The U.S. paints a similarly bleak picture. Roughly 45 million Americans read below a fifth-grade level. And in 2018, a Pew Research study found that only 26% of Americans could reliably distinguish fact from opinion in written text. Among 15-year-olds globally, that number drops to just 14%.

This isn’t just about failing schools or lazy students. It’s about a culture in which intellectual laziness is not only tolerated but increasingly rewarded. When celebrity status trumps expertise, when emotional outrage outweighs rational discourse, and when the loudest voice wins over the most informed—what hope is there for cognitive resilience?

The Age of Homo Idioticus

We may no longer be Homo sapiens—the “wise man.” Nor are we Homo economicus, the supposedly rational actor in classical economics. Increasingly, we are becoming Homo idioticus—a being defined not by wisdom or logic but by emotional impulses, misinformation, and intellectual inertia.

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That may sound harsh, but consider the evidence: falling IQs, widespread functional illiteracy, declining media literacy, and a cultural environment in whidh critical thinking is a niche skill, not a norm.

This doesn’t mean we’re doomed. But it does mean we must urgently rethink our cultural, educational, and digital environments. Do we want future generations raised by TikTok algorithms and celebrity gossip or by reason, science, and creativity?

The decline is not inevitable—but reversing it requires awareness, effort, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. If we are to re-earn our title as Homo sapiens, we must stop celebrating ignorance and start nurturing intellect.

Before it's too late.