Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book)

Breaking new ground and old taboos, Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray tell the story of a society in transformation. At the top, a cognitive elite is forming in which the passkey to the best schools and the best jobs is no longer social background but high intelligence. At the bottom, the common denominator of the underclass is increasingly low intelligence rather than racial or social disadvantage.

The Bell Curve describes the state of scientific knowledge about questions that have been on people's minds for years but have been considered too sensitive to talk about openly -- among them, IQ's relationship to crime, unemployment, welfare, child neglect, poverty, and illegitimacy; ethnic differences in intelligence; trends in fertility among women of different levels of intelligence; and what policy can do -- and cannot do -- to compensate for differences in intelligence. Brilliantly argued and meticulously documented, The Bell Curve is the essential first step in coming to grips with the nation's social problems.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Good Condition, 2008-09-30
Haven't read it but it came in good condition. First chapter is pretty interesting. Not bad for $.01.


1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Without Prejudice, 2008-09-22
Hard to read book for anyone trapped in their own ideological world view; fascinating and enlightening for everyone else. Highly recommended!


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Very theoretical, 2008-09-21
The authors apparently haven't met a lot of Mensans. Mensans have all scored in the top 2 percentile on IQ tests but have very different lifestyles. Many of them are not rich at all. Wealth is a matter of ambition and a healthy dose of luck. Think beautiful women with average IQ's who marry rich. Think movie stars, rappers, models, and athletes who make millions per year. In comparison, many NASA airspace engineers start with $60K per year after 4 yrs of college and a Ph.D.


1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Arguing against these findings is like arguing against evolution, 2008-07-29
It's a theory and it's based on means and scientific proof. There's people out there that don't believe in evolution despite all the proof, so no wonder there are those who dispute this books findings, especially when they hit closer to home perhaps.

At the end of the day we're all animals on this planet, no different than say a dog or horse. However, through evolution and selective breeding, there are over 100 different distinct dog breeds that have various strenghts and weaknesses due to their genetics. Some are fast and nimble. Some are slow. Some are short. Some are tall. Some make good guards. Some make good herders. Some just make a cute plaything. Some are very friendly. Some are known to be prone to violent behavior (how many pit bulls bite people vs english bull dogs???). Likewise, mentally, some breeds are quick to learn commands, follow signals, figure out problems - essentially be a "smart" dog. Some breeds are notorious for the exact opposite!

To think that ALL people are created equal and that no genetic differences could have formed (or form in the future) from PEOPLE "breeding" defies the previous logic.


13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Whatever your opinion, a classic., 2008-03-12
Murray and Hernstein's book is by now an infamous classic. This is too bad as the content is really mild, sobering, and well worth contemplating.

Far from being a racist screed, the text is more of a kick in the teeth. It asks us to look at reality and to stop day dreaming.

The thesis is rather simple: cognitive capacity is becomming more and more important in the modern United States (one could extend this globally, as have Lynn et al.). Therefore, our 'class' and 'caste' systems of old are breaking down into cognitive categories.

Those who are bright have a huge advantage over those who are not. This is true regardless of race or sex. The whole of Murray and Hernstein's book is one long argument for this simple premis. They show that g (general mental ability) matters in life. That it is not an artifact of factor analysis. They show that it is a highly heritable trait (h estimates hover around .4-.8) Furthermore, they show that it is related to work performance, social values, family values, and almost anything anyone could possibly think of measuring. After mounting an avalanche of data from the NLSY, the authors explain what such findings mean for a democratic society. If C.W. Mills book, The Power Elite, is held as the defining book on stratification during the Eisenhower years, then Murray and Hernstein's book must stand as the definitive tome on stratification for the information age. Interestingly, the thesis is more true today than it was when formulated over a decade ago.

The reaction to this book is so out of proportion with what it actually states that no short review can do it justice. However, I recommend that anyone with an open mind read this book and compare it to his/her own experiences.

I especially suggest this task to blank-slate sociologists. They riddicule it, cast aspersions upon Murray, leave work, drive past the poor enclaves and straight to their suburban houses in nice neighborhoods, with nice schools, where they send their prescious children. Damn that Murray! He is so wrong.

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