i don't understand why the premise is set up that way. maybe I'm remembering it wrong but i don't remember the premise being a red herring or anything; they played it pretty straight.

the movie could have been totally valid if it actually looked into real causes of intellectual decline, which is about education first and foremost, but instead they go with the breeder mentality, and not only give credence to IQ which is bs in and of itself, but suggest that it's inherited.

someone else in these comments says oh it doesn't necessarily mean it's genetic but ignorant people are likely to raise their children to be ignorant or whatever... but that's just steelmanning the movie's premise. it's how not the movie plays it. they straight up suggest it's intelligence rather than education and tie it directly to breeding rather than socioeconomic conditions and political manipulation.