DANGER OF DECLINING INTELLIGENCE 205 



was his good fortune to have, in order that his extraordinary 

 genius could find expression. If Einstein had been born in 

 one of the world's slums, with all the restraints such low- 

 level environments involve, science and philosophy would 

 not now be the richer for his three theories, even though 

 we grant that he would have risen well above the level of 

 his surroundings. 



Again, there is a restricting complex in the evolution of 

 high-level mentality. The fortunes of birth and later envi- 

 ronmental stimuli become more and more critical, the higher 

 the intellectual potential. Thus far in man's societies the indi- 

 vidual is very inadequately protected against the whims of 

 chance. We still do not have in most parts of the world any 

 organized way to search out and offer optimum cultural and 

 educational opportunities to our potential geniuses and 

 superior talents; and even where such a search is attempted, 

 it consists of little more than a gesture. Nor do we have in 

 most parts of the world any real plan for eliminating the 

 unfavorable economic and social locales that suppress high- 

 level intellect. Slum clearance without the elimination of the 

 economic and social conditions which produce them, and 

 above all without the control of excessive birth rates, is not 

 a solution. 



The assumption that "genius will out" in spite of all re- 

 straints and difficulties is dangerous nonsense, especially 

 now that population sizes are rising, making it more prob- 

 able than ever that high-level individuals will be smothered 

 by the sheer weight of the humanity around them. Add to 

 this the possibility that differential ratios may even be work- 

 ing against the birth of a genius, and we begin to realize 

 how exceedingly difficult will be the future problems of 

 civilization. Consider this vivid statement of the situation 

 by Cook: 



Since deficiencies in environment can veto the expression of 

 genetic potentials, it follows that improvements in the environment 

 may accentuate rather than suppress inborn differences. In the 



