But, just as Watson said, the fact that Africans score lower on IQ tests doesn’t make them genetically inferior, any more than I’m genetically inferior to the many, many people – many of whom are black – with higher IQs than me.

I don’t know if telling your children to deny facts – facts that could have tremendous impact on policy decision, which is the reason that Watson was discussing IQ in the first place – is such a good path.

As to the idea that we don’t want to cause “offense” to others, that’s an understandable screen for whether to tell someone the truth, i.e. telling an unattractive person that they’re ugly doesn’t really acomplish much except to hurt their feelings. However, when telling someone the truth can help them do better, then perhaps the truth should be told.

For example, when I was in high school, I tried out for wide receiver. My couch, without worrying about my feelings told me I was too slow. Because of that, I switched to tight end and became fairly successful. Now, what if my coach had worried about my feelings and not told me that I was too slow? I might have kept trying out for wide receiver and failing. I believe that Watson was doing something similar when he talked about African IQ and the aid policies of Western countries toward that continent.