spaf@gatech.UUCP (Gene Spafford) (12/05/84)
To clear up some questions, etc., let me quote from a Mensa publication:
Mensa is an international society in which the members have scored in the
top 2% on an approved IQ test. It is a not-for-profit organization whose
purposes are to identify intelligence for the benfit of humanity, to
conduct research in psychology and science, to promote creativity among
gifted children, and to provide social contacts among its members.
Mensa has no political or religious affiliations. Special interest
groups in Mensa are involved in the sharing of activities, ideas and
opinions. Applications of membership (in the USA) should be made to:
American Mensa
1701 West Third Street
Brooklyn NY 11223
Thq "approved IQ test" includes such items as the SAT and GRE. There
are about 50 approved exams, and the scores on any of those can be used
to meet the entrance requirements (don't ask me for details -- write Amer.
Mensa. I just knew that my GRE scores would get me in, and I never
bothered looking at the other literature).
I'm a member of Mensa, although not terribly active. I met my current
SO at Mensa. I've made a few very crazy friends through the group, and
I've had a fairly good time at most of the Mensa functions I've
attended. I have heard that some groups are very dull, or consist of
just losers and stuck-up types, but that is not everywhere the case (or
else the organization wouldn't be flourshing!). In particular, the
Atlanta group is a growing, fun group of people with many activities
and interests.
If you're curious, write to American Mensa and ask for information.
You might also ask for the name and phone number for the LocSec (Local
group Secretary) for your area. Mensa encourages prospective members
to attend a few local functions before joining.
Remember: intelligence does not equate to ability or success or
happiness. A high IQ does not say that someone is a better person or
is more likely to lead a better life; neither does doing poorly on an
IQ test indicate the opposite. A high IQ does mean that you do well on
certain kinds of standardized tests, and there appears to be some
correlation to other, sometimes desireable traits. Anybody trying to
make you feel inferior because their IQ score is higher is simply being
a jerk. There are some people like that in Mensa, but the organization
is not directed towards that, nor do all (most) of the members feel
that way. Many members have been subjected to similar derision (being
picked upon in school and in the work environment for being
"different") that they are sensitive to such concerns.
Nuff said for now. Except, I don't believe that "net.mensa" is a
good idea.
--
Gene "8 months and counting" Spafford
The Clouds Project, School of ICS, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA 30332
CSNet: Spaf @ GATech ARPA: Spaf%GATech.CSNet @ CSNet-Relay.ARPA
uucp: ...!{akgua,allegra,hplabs,ihnp4,linus,seismo,ulysses}!gatech!spafhollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (Jerry Hollombe) (12/15/84)
In article <156@ttidcc.UUCP> hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (Jerry Hollombe) writes: >>Discussion of Mensa the furniture or Mensa the high I.Q. furniture would >>be one and the same. > >Am I missing something here or is this really meaningless? :Jerry, I'm upset with you! A Mensan that doesn't know how the organization :got its name! Now what would Margot Seitelman think of that, after all the :literature she's sent your way? The word "Mensa" is Latin for "table" to :indicate the philosophy of the interactions -- a table around which we all :sit to discuss our opinions. (Well, some of us stand and shout, but the idea :is there.....) Ouch! I confess, I was sleeping when I wrote that one. (Not my fault, my terminal has been drinking (-: ). You must admit that "Mensa the high I.Q. furniture" sounds pretty meaningless. Anyway, my apologies. The trouble with having a steel trap mind is occasionally you get your fingers caught in it. Glad to see there's some discussion of Mensa going on. I've been pretty well convinced that net.mensa wasn't a good idea. The general feeling I get from the net seems pretty well agreed on this. A mailing list remains a possibility. I have no idea how they work or what's involved in running one. Just to add a little fuel to the discussion: I've been a Mensa member for nearly 10 years. The first thing I discovered on attending a few local events is that a high IQ is no guarantee of intelligence. On the other hand, it's nice to be able to carry on a conversation without having to constantly explain what I'm talking about. Given that Mensa has only one criterion for membership, there tends to be a pretty broad spectrum of all other traits among members (I can provide a few statistics if requested). There are certainly some wierdos among the membership. There are a few (very few, in my opinion) who are distinctly unpleasant. To counter this, I've made some deep and lasting friendships and had a lot of fun with former total strangers at local parties and regional gatherings. I know many people who met their current SO at Mensa functions. On the whole, I would say that most Mensans are fairly ordinary people who happen to be unusually bright in some ways. People seem to join, refuse to join, and drop out of Mensa for all kinds of reasons. I frequently get the impression that those who drop out or refuse to join do so in anger (this is purely MY perception). Certainly I have never failed to stir up controversy by bringing up the subject in public (which is one reason I do it -- livens up conversation (-:{ ). I hope this discussion continues for a while. I'd like to get some more first person insights into people's attitudes. Maybe I can put out some flames, too. -- The Polymath (Jerry Hollombe) Opinions expressed here are my own Transaction Technology, Inc. and unrelated to anyone else's. 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 United States (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 ...{garfield,lasspvax,linus,cmcl2,seismo}!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe