Are We Getting Smarter, Healthier, or More Susceptible? A Reflection on Modern Society

 [A blog post created by ChatGPT following a conversation I had with it.]

In the 21st century, humanity finds itself at a fascinating crossroads. Advances in science, medicine, and technology have undeniably improved our lives — life expectancy is longer, global education rates have risen, and tools for knowledge are more accessible than ever before. And yet, beneath this apparent progress lies a complex set of questions: Are we really becoming more intelligent? More beautiful? Or more vulnerable to misinformation and flawed reasoning?

Intelligence on the Rise? The Flynn Effect and Its Limits

For much of the 20th century, researchers observed a phenomenon known as the Flynn Effect — a steady increase in IQ scores across many parts of the world. This trend was often attributed to better nutrition, wider access to education, and more cognitively demanding environments. However, recent studies suggest this upward trend may be plateauing or even reversing in some countries.

What might be behind this reversal? Some experts speculate that changing educational standards, digital distractions, or even shifts in family and social structures could play a role. In other words, while the tools for intelligence have expanded, the habits and environments needed to sustain it may be eroding.

Beauty, Health, and the Complexity of Standards

The conversation around beauty often intersects with health, particularly in the context of rising global obesity rates. Some argue that if we equate a beautiful body with a healthy one, then an increase in obesity might suggest a decline in "beauty." However, this is a narrow and potentially harmful view.

Beauty is not a static or universal ideal — it is culturally constructed, subjective, and historically fluid. In some periods and cultures, fuller figures have been considered ideal, associated with abundance, fertility, or status. Today, body positivity movements are challenging the idea that health or worth should be judged solely by appearance.

Can a smoker or a person who drinks excessively still be considered beautiful? Physically or aesthetically — yes, by many standards. But such behaviors may detract from what many would view as holistic or long-term beauty, especially when factoring in well-being and vitality. Again, the lines blur quickly between subjective attraction and objective health.

Critical Thinking and the Rise of Conspiratorial Thinking

While we often celebrate the power of education to enhance critical thinking, we are simultaneously witnessing a worrying surge in conspiratorial thinking. Whether it's misinformation about public health, politics, or climate science, false narratives are spreading faster than ever — largely due to the viral nature of social media and the decline of shared factual baselines.

This raises a provocative question: If critical thinking is supposed to protect us from misinformation, why are conspiracy theories gaining traction? It may be that the type of skepticism taught in schools doesn't always translate to real-world media consumption. Moreover, genuine critical thinking involves not just questioning authority but also evaluating evidence, understanding context, and resisting emotional reasoning — skills that are hard to cultivate and easy to bypass.

Can We Trust Governments to Combat Misinformation?

Governments are often tasked with fighting the spread of misinformation, yet history tells us that governments themselves have frequently used propaganda to manipulate public perception. This paradox creates a trust gap: How can we believe those who may also be complicit?

The answer lies not in handing over full control to any single institution, but in developing a multi-stakeholder approach. Media organizations, tech platforms, educators, scientists, civil society groups, and citizens all have roles to play. Transparency, accountability, and media literacy must be built into every level of our information ecosystem.

Toward a More Informed and Balanced Future

What unites all these themes — intelligence, beauty, misinformation — is the need for nuanced thinking. We cannot afford to rely on binary judgments like “more beautiful” or “less intelligent.” Nor can we treat complex societal issues with simplistic solutions. As individuals, cultivating critical thinking, empathy, and open-mindedness is one of the best defenses against the noise of modern life.

So are we getting smarter? In some ways, yes. Are we more beautiful? That depends on who you ask — and what you value. But are we more susceptible to misinformation and polarized thinking? Alarmingly, the answer might be yes — unless we work deliberately to reverse that trend.