I am tall enough to wish I were two inches shorter. Do any very bright minds wish they were dimmer?
A few weeks ago I read – I’ve forgotten where – an article reporting with a bit of worry that Americans stopped getting taller about fifty years ago. You might say aha, Eisenhower’s America stops caring, ordinary folks’ health and nutrition suffer, unlike the progressive Dutch who keep on zooming up — but no: the trend has gone flat for rich and poor, hip and square. It’s a puzzler.
But it’s not bad news in itself. I know most of you would rather be taller, for social reasons, but would anyone be better off if everyone were two inches taller? Sooner or later (I suspect sooner) you run into the cube-square law.
May 30: Found it again. (Cited by yet another weird sf fan.)
June 08: Another version of the story, in the New Yorker. (Cited by Angelweave)
2011: after TCS reorganization
Judging by the kids working at Costco, the trend has picked up again.
After reaching six feet, I thought it funny when people said I was tall for my age; I’m tall for any age! But if trends keep up it may become meaningful again: I’m tall for someone born before ~1990.