The average person is average. 50M Americans (16%) have IQs below 85.
In general, whatever their station in life, smarter people are going to locally optimize their situation better than someone who is dumb. As a society, we tend to overemphasize social class — we assume rich people are smart and poor people are dumb.
You make good points. Many high status people are good at manipulating the levers of power and influence, just as a machinist is good with wielding his tools. Money is just a tool. Fancy clothes or whatever is just a tool. Both people may possess a poor understanding of how their tools actually work.
Truly successful people know themselves and their limits. Rich people get to hire smarter people to do stuff for them. Poor people have to find a niche to maximize their value and minimize their faults.
In general, whatever their station in life, smarter people are going to locally optimize their situation better than someone who is dumb. As a society, we tend to overemphasize social class — we assume rich people are smart and poor people are dumb.
You make good points. Many high status people are good at manipulating the levers of power and influence, just as a machinist is good with wielding his tools. Money is just a tool. Fancy clothes or whatever is just a tool. Both people may possess a poor understanding of how their tools actually work.
Truly successful people know themselves and their limits. Rich people get to hire smarter people to do stuff for them. Poor people have to find a niche to maximize their value and minimize their faults.