> all else being equal.
"Load bearing phrase", as they say.
A stupid ass that just keeps pushing on often goes further than a smart ass who gets distracted.
The point here is not that intelligence is somehow the super property where if you have slightly more intelligence then your neighbor that means you are better even if they are stronger, need less sleep, are more dexterous, are more mentally resilient etc. The point is that intelligence is an advantage.
But they might be pushing in the wrong direction.