Are Londoners more intelligent?

[tothinkofsomething]

My Dad made a big thing when we moved out of London ( Zone 6 type expensive green Commuter belt area). We moved into North Hampshire. He basically was saying that outside the magical barrier of the M25 that the level of education is a lot lower. My Dc are just at the start of their school journeys and I have nothing to compare to. But his thoughts were that if my DC was top of their class in Hampshire that would be lower than in London. I'm guessing this depends on area of London? Also our estate agent said we shouldn't move out as we would struggle to get back in.

Ah in that case, I'll settle down for some light-headed bedtime reading. I've got my hot chocolate. Now for some humour.

*light hearted
My tired typo spelling has done it for me...a London outcast!

Not if my brother's anything to go by.

@tothinkofsomething

My Dad made a big thing when we moved out of London ( Zone 6 type expensive green Commuter belt area). We moved into North Hampshire. He basically was saying that outside the magical barrier of the M25 that the level of education is a lot lower. My Dc are just at the start of their school journeys and I have nothing to compare to. But his thoughts were that if my DC was top of their class in Hampshire that would be lower than in London. I'm guessing this depends on area of London? Also our estate agent said we shouldn't move out as we would struggle to get back in.

Well in the words of a lovely ex-headmistress I know in Dulwich, who was headmistress of a very high-performing girls' school in Clapham, schools outside of London ARE better. Particularly Secondary Schools. I'm not sure what she based this on. She herself is an Oxford educated Londoner for what it's worth.

@BunnyMacDougal

Me no London. Me read good.

Reminds me of my favourite Simpson's episodes. Burns' Heir.

Carry on.

I’m not sure that you actually thought about this before you posted OP.

Stop listening to your dad.

Firstly I am confused obviously because we are all judged on our exam results at some point so all this "there's a difference between intelligence and educational attainment." I can't just rock up and say look I'm iteligant despite the fact I got a third for my degree?! People judge you, it's life. My Dad said that a third from a good university is worth more than a 2:2 from a poor one.

But there is a difference between intelligence and educational attainment.
There are a whole heap of structural barriers which can impact on educational attainment.
Historically, wealthy people have higher levels of education, have a higher chance of going to university and are more likely to attend an elite university.
Does that mean poor people are stupid??

No, it doesn't.

I think you're ok ...don't move further south in Hants though, brain cells diminish at an astonishing rate the closer you get to the coastal cities

@sneakysnoopysniper

I can recall staying at a hotel in Bruges and being on a table with two younger men. We had a conversation in which they told me how much more intelligent and sophisticated people from the South were compared with the North.

That night they came back legless at 2 am and woke up everyone in the hotel with their noise.

Next morning at breakfast I greeted them with "Morning gentleman, was last nights behaviour an example of southern sophistication and intelligence?!" I then explained to the bemused international onlookers in the dining room that people who live in the South of England consider they are superior to those in the North. There was a lot of booing and the pair quickly exited the dining room to hisses, cat calls and a slow hand clap.

That morning they checked out.

Bet the waiters clapped too, so didn't they?

Inciting booing, hissing, cat calls and slow clapping (and then feeling good/smug about it) stinks of arrogance and bullying. Why do you come across as proud of your behaviour? Embarrassed or humiliated feels more appropriate. Maybe you father should have taught you how to be a nice person instead of sending you to the kitchen to help your mother with the chores!

I live in part of Greater London. There is a very specific issue where London appears to do better than many other parts of the country, that is educational attainment of white working class children.

Other than that, I don't think you can call an area that twice voted Boris Johnson in as Mayor more intelligent.

Not sure about more intelligent but they can definitely be more pretentious and arrogant 😂

With that logic OP, I'm not surprised your family moved out of London

This is obvious, of course everyone outside of London is stupid!

You only get neurosurgeons and the likes in central London, if you live outside of London and need a neurosurgeon they just send the local vet as they are the highest qualified in the village.

@MiddleClassProblem

My friend wanted to rent in Pimlico and had to do an IQ test as part of the application.

I went to school in Pimlico. I’ve obviously wasted my life by moving to Yorkshire.

Gosh yes I live in Bristol and we just all walk around bumping into each other here, it’s awful.

@SylviaPlath1984

This is obvious, of course everyone outside of London is stupid!

You only get neurosurgeons and the likes in central London, if you live outside of London and need a neurosurgeon they just send the local vet as they are the highest qualified in the village.

Ha ha ha! That cracked me up. Obv not true though, they just ask the butcher near us (ooop north).

This study on regional differences in IQ (which do exist) is very interesting.

www.tomforth.co.uk/onintelligence/

Christ, me and my kids must be truly thick what with us living in Cornwall. And as for my ( trained surgeon and consultant) cousin from Inverness...

@hobbyiscodefordogging

I don't know about London, but I think I heard that Hampshire is well below national average intelligence. Or something about leaving an important part of one's brain somewhere in a field in Hampshire.

I think it was the intellectual conversation from them there Londoners that helped with the brain melt..."nice one" "geezer", is as far as it went apparently.

Yep. Everyone outside London is extraordinarily stupid and thick. All those people making it through every day. All those people working and living Without doing themselves an injury . Not sure where your dad gets this from tbh

My intelligence levels wane as I drive the 5 mins to the m25 and gradually decrease as I make it to the south coast to my parents. Can barely spell my own name by the time I get there.......🤣😂🤣😂

Lovely to see this debate from a while back ago is back as an active thread again Obviously as foundation of my intelligence is set by where I grew up/ my schooling/ my family. I am interested to see if and how it is different for my DC growing up. I know my intelligence is impacted by my surroundings, and what I read maybe too much MN.

@orangecinnamon you know Hants goes right down to the coast yes?! - have you heard of Portsmouth or Southampton? Although coastal towns / Ports are quite different to North Hants

MonsterMunchPaws

Gosh yes I live in Bristol and we just all walk around bumping into each other here, it’s awful“

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I left London over ten years ago and still haven't remembered how to spell my own name 😞

I may need to go back, life is getting so hard. I just can't get my little brain to do anything

@tothinkofsomething

Lovely to see this debate from a while back ago is back as an active thread again Obviously as foundation of my intelligence is set by where I grew up/ my schooling/ my family. I am interested to see if and how it is different for my DC growing up. I know my intelligence is impacted by my surroundings, and what I read maybe too much MN.

@orangecinnamon you know Hants goes right down to the coast yes?! - have you heard of Portsmouth or Southampton? Although coastal towns / Ports are quite different to North Hants

Sigh yes 👍