Yes I understand what you mean and am more than passing familiar with those concepts, and unless I am reading you wrong we are on the same page. Even our analogies did not differ overmuch. I was simply not discounting hard work, and hark work can be implanted both culturally and probably genetically. I do and did acknowledge that hard work is not everything. Your original statement struck me as too black and white, but I also acknowledge that someone with an IQ of 90 is not going to make 6 figures by designing aircraft components, calculating risks for an investment bank or insurer, or telling MegaGrocer to put the baby diapers by the beer.

As far as breeding bad traits, thats something that I do worry about... but its difficult enough to hold a discussion on the issue of poverty, and even bring culture - which is nurture - into the discussion without it getting sidetracked and confused with race or other "nature" issues without bringing genetics and breeding directly into the conversation.

The breeding issue also factors into a lot of other thought experiments I have, in areas ranging from nutrition to antibiotics. Its quite a worry, and I think a good case can be made for advancement of artificial intervention but any eugenics is also potentially dangerous for a variety of reasons.

For who could be free when every other man's humour might domineer over him? - John Locke (2nd Treatise, sect 57)