It makes people feel superior to belittle someone they feel is inferior or has an inferior trait. you dumb ranga.......

judgedreed - weren't you the bloke who helped get rid of the "No one thinks big of you" little finger/RTA campaign because it personally offended you? Don't be ashamed of what of what god gave (or in your case, didn't) you.

I would like to think of myself as somewhat intellectual..... but I also would like to think that I would never belittle someone else based on what I 'think' of their intelligence. I think when most people belittle others it is done so based on level of education more than anything else. I have a few friends who left school in early high school and I certainly don't feel 'better' than them. One of them is also illiterate, however he is an extremely intelligent man, and I always feel a bit dumb when around him. Whether someone is a black C--- or a bit of a nutter, we will always find ways to make ourselves feel superior. It must be human nature to make fun of others or to elevate ourselves through derision of others.

the main prejudice in it is the differentiation of the wealthy and the not so wealthy. Average Joe loses the the plot and he's a nutbag, loon, window licker, etc. Wealthy bloke goes off the rails and he's "eccentric" or "colourful". I reckon we're all nutbags from time to time, it's just a matter of degrees.

Well said, leahkf. I think it is the behaviours and decisions that people exhibit, rather than the raw IQ status, that people pick on. I know many truly wonderful, exciting, worthy people who are not what society (I) would call super intelligent. One is a teacher and an incredible artisit. I wish I had that sort of artisitc gift. I don't. Another is a self made personal coach, who inspires and engourages people everywhere. What a skill! One bloke I know, who is a keen punter, can somehow calcualte the various payoff permutations of bets that involve rolling one result into another, into another, etc. That's bloody hard, but he does it on the trot, in real time, after a dozen schooners. And he's a labourer. These people aren't nutters or 'dumb'. They ain't brain surgeons (nor am I), but they lead valuable, worthwhile, purposeful, interesting lives. They make good life decisions, and behave rationally and sanely. On the other hand, I know some people with incredible raw IQ scores. These people are, by IQ score, genii. Their erratic behaviour, incomprehensible decision making, and bizarre mental processes, however, lead me to describe them as nutters. Most are medical specialists. Hmm

This is all a bit 'PC', is it not? In society, there are nutcases. Crazy people, from the slightly deranged, the eccentric, to the fully gone lunatic like Martin Bryant. There are also hopeless idiots, who ricochet from idiotic decision to idiotic decision, and don't do a lot of good. The wonderful thing about a wealthy society that respects the general rule of law is that we can accommodate all types. I'm happy to pay my taxes, if it means the nutters and the idiots can be looked after and have a decent life, with security and freedom. I hope that doesn't sound arrogant or patronising, becasue it is intended to be honest and respectful. None of us can do everything. Those who can contribute to the economic prosperity of the community should make sure that those people who contribute in other ways are looked after. I enjoy other people's cooking, art, music, company. I respect their contribution to our society. How boring would the place be if everyone was like me?? Insufferably boring is the answer. I believe that it is only honest to acknowledge that there are different levels of ability, IQ, capability. Unfortunately, we do tend to value only a narrow spectrum of the rainbow.

When I see a nutter...I think "eccentric" - and I like eccentrics.

As you said Jeff, the redheads are rising but if Julia gets cranky or upset, should it be known as Prime Ministerial Ranga Anger?

An interesting topic today. There are a myriad manifestations of mental illness, and the labels placed upon such people in my view tends to be a function of there interactions and relations with other people. Many people simply go unnoticed, and therefore unlabelled. Those with frank delusions, odd beliefs and violent or unusual behaviour towards others are those that invariably wear the label “nutter” or “psycho” particularly if they are financially disadvantaged. The financially secure are often viewed somewhat more kindly, particularly if they are able to contribute meaningfully to society in other ways. Of course willingness to adhere to therapy (and obviously its effectiveness) can make a huge difference in how a mentally ill person is perceived by the community, particularly if they can control the more alarming aspects of their behaviour. I’m quite happy to put my hand up and say I have used those terms. The mentally ill as a group within society has its fair share of arseholes. So are some people with heart disease or cancer.

Relative intelligence is another thing altogether. On a continuum of intelligence there must by definition be those above and below the mean, which is generally accepted as an IQ of 100. This of course does take into consideration social or emotional intelligence. One can be quite intelligent from an IQ perspective, but also an “idiot”. In this context an “idiot” is not the clinical manifestation of “idiocy”. I quite like this definition of an idiot –someone who acts in a self defeating or significantly counter productive way. There are a few regular posters on this blog who I think fit this description rather neatly. They make claims which are demonstrably false or hypocritical. When confronted with evidence to the contrary a rational person would generally withdraw the claim or accept the inconsistencies of there arguments. The “idiot” persists in pursuing false or hypocritical stance, or indulges in obfuscation or dissembling. For individual like this I have no hesitation in applying the term idiot.