John Landis's
"Trading Places" is one of the 1980s' most fondly remembered
comedies. There is far more to its story than frozen orange juice, however.
The film raises an
important question: What is the nature of human aptitude? Is it inherited or
acquired? Dan Aykroyd's character, a blue-blooded commodities broker, is framed
for a crime and replaced with a petty hoodlum, portrayed by Eddie Murphy.
After only a short
period, this hoodlum is able to meet the job performance of his predecessor and
adapt to Philadelphia high society.
While this was only a
movie, one can't help but wonder if such a thing could happen in real life.
Perhaps that is not impossible, but could it honestly be considered plausible?
If Dr. Stephen Jay Gould were still around, he would undoubtedly have something to say. Unfortunately, the noted paleontologist and Harvard professor, whose literary credentials include "The Mismeasure of Man," died more than 14 years ago.
Nonetheless, there is
a certain quote of Gould's which aptly summarizes his view of biological
determinism: "People talk about human intelligence as the greatest
adaptation in the history of the planet. It is an amazing and marvelous thing,
but in evolutionary terms, it is as likely to do us in as to help us
along."
Gould felt that a
toxic brew of poor statistical methods and sheer bigotry often led researchers
to inaccurate conclusions about the heritability of intelligence. Needless to
say, the scientific community has never been able to find solid consensus on
the subject.
One of Gould's most
outspoken critics is Dr. Richard Lynn, an emeritus professor of psychology at
the University of Ulster. He has measured the socioeconomic ramifications of
human intelligence throughout his career, and written a library's worth on the
subject. This has led to more than a few controversial findings, especially
with regard to differences between demographic groups.
During an interview
with me, Lynn called Gould "a dishonest fraud". Such an opinion was
secular heresy not too long ago. Over the last decade, though, study of the
human genome has progressed tremendously. Many are now reconsidering the power
of biological heredity from a scholarly perspective. Lynn reported that
"good progress is being made," and in the future, "people will
likely be able to select the genetic qualities of their children [and] this
will be a big eugenic advance."
Steve Sailer is one of
the few journalists who regularly writes about the relationship between
intelligence and society. His relentlessly data-centric reportage has earned
him no shortage of accolades and detractions. Sailer has managed to do what few
other journalists dare: linking intelligence not only with economics, but
political trends.
"Gould offers a
striking example of what Freud called 'projection:' the tendency to ascribe
one's own flaws to others," Sailer explained to me. "Gould constantly
denounced other scientists for bias, bigotry, poor math abilities, and
inadequate experimental technique.
"For example, in
his 1981 bestseller 'The Mismeasure of Man,' Gould famously lambasted an
obscure 19th century scientist named Samuel Morton for being biased when
conducting a study of skull sizes. Finally, in 2011, though, a team of six
physical anthropologists replicated Morton's work (something Gould never got
around to doing) and discovered that Morton was more accurate than Gould."
So, is our
intelligence a product of nature or nurture? Gould believed what he thought was
correct, but a growing body of scientists disagrees vehemently. The nature of
intelligence is, if nothing else, an enigma for the scientists who study it.
Above all else,
though, "Trading Places" is a great movie. While it provides no
definitive answer to the quandary of heredity or adaptability, Trading Places
is one of the most intelligent comedies to have come along since the Golden Age
of Hollywood.
It's difficult to ask
for much more in a film, especially these days.
Joseph Ford Cotto, 1st Baron Cotto, GCCCR is the editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Review of Books. In the past, he covered current events and style for The Washington Times's Communities section, where he interviewed personalities ranging from Fmr. Ambassador John Bolton to Dionne Warwick. Cotto was also a writer for Blogcritics Magazine and Yahoo's contributor network, among other publications. In 2014, H.M. King Kigeli V of Rwanda bestowed a hereditary knighthood upon him, which was followed by a barony the next year. |
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