Topic: Sats

Cowboy capitalism is defined by the American frontier mentality—an entrepreneurial, expansionist drive that seeks to exploit new territories. JD Vance is discussed as a modern "cowboy" figure who rose from a poor background through institutional "routing," similar to how SAT scores are sometimes adjusted by zip code to identify talent in rural areas. The frontier served as an "escape hatch" that allowed America to avoid the class conflicts seen in Europe.

Adam Curry and Mo Facts read through the list of executive and associate executive producers who supported the show. They acknowledge significant donations from listeners like Miguel Espinala and Brian Burgess. The segment includes a detailed letter from a listener in Seattle regarding their decision to avoid COVID-19 vaccinations based on the show's research.

The origins of the IQ test are traced back to Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon in 1905, originally intended to identify children needing academic help. The hosts critique the mathematical formula (mental age divided by chronological age multiplied by 100) and the culturally biased questions used at Ellis Island. They question whether early testing gives children an unfair advantage in accessing elite educational tracks.

Charles Murray, co-author of *The Bell Curve*, discusses the "intractable" 15-point IQ gap between Black and White populations. Murray acknowledges the "Flynn Effect" but argues that the gap has not narrowed significantly since the early 20th century. He claims that while academic tests showed some narrowing in the 70s and 80s, pure IQ tests like the Stanford-Binet continue to show a one-standard deviation difference.

The hosts critique modern affirmative action and equity quotas, arguing that lowering standards for Black individuals is the most pervasive form of racism. Mo Facts shares his personal experience of having to prove he earned his position in professional spaces despite being viewed as a "token." They advocate for maintaining high standards while ensuring equal opportunity based on population representation.

The College Board announces a new "adversity score" for the SAT, intended to provide context regarding a student's social and economic background. CEO David Coleman explains that the score measures "resourcefulness" by accounting for neighborhood crime rates and poverty levels, though critics argue this validates the idea that the test itself is flawed.

The hosts criticize the SAT adversity score as a tool that reinforces victimization mentality and only benefits the "academic elite" who can escape poor neighborhoods. They argue that instead of grading on a curve, the focus should be on fixing the underlying issues in failing schools, noting that the test fundamentally measures core math and reading skills.