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Eri

The Light of Dawn
Feb 21, 2009
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I recently realized I qualify for the society. I'm not going to bother listing my number, since it's not the important part.

I've read a few things where people seem to be actively hostile towards said members merely for being members. Maybe, it's jealously?

Do you have any experiences with members? If not, Have you heard any things related to them good/bad? How do you think being a member would appear on a resume?
 

Vegosiux

New member
May 18, 2011
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I used to be a member years ago, but then decided it's not worth the membership anymore when I hit financial hard times. May look back at it now that I picked myself up a little, see who's new, who else left, maybe revive some old contacts.

People from all walks of life in there, truly. Most of our local Mensa meetings ended up with being picnics, poker evenings, gone-to-watch-a-hockey-game evenings...you know, social stuff. We're not some kind of stuck-up tie wearing table sitting snobs scoffing at the rabble.

As for how it would appear on a resume? Huh I never thought of that. Never considered IQ to be a crucial bit of info. I actually think it'd look somewhat pretentious. I prefer to put "Can learn quick and well" under qualities I'm proud of.
 

bobmus

Full Frontal Nerdity
May 25, 2010
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Matthew94 said:
I think the hostility is due to people thinking that the member now thinks they are some sort of elite member of society due to being accepted into Mensa.
This. Personally I've never asked what my IQ is - I know I'm intelligent enough for most things, and don't seek numerical validation.
 

DevilWithaHalo

New member
Mar 22, 2011
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Vegosiux said:
I used to be a member years ago, but then decided it's not worth the membership anymore when I hit financial hard times.
And this is why I told MENSA to go fuck themselves.

"You need to be an intellectual elite to get into our club! ...and $63 a year"
 

Vegosiux

New member
May 18, 2011
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Kendarik said:
No, not jealousy. This assumption demonstrates the real reason. People who bother to register tend to shall we say "think a lot of themselves". They are often self interested self indulgent and self centered elitist jerks. People don't like that.
...only that from my personal experience with many many Mensa members, that's not nearly the case. Sure there were a few self-adjective folks here and there, but really, where can you not find any of those?

Are you sure that's not just an assumption/generalization on your part?
 

Loop Stricken

Covered in bees!
Jun 17, 2009
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DevilWithaHalo said:
Vegosiux said:
I used to be a member years ago, but then decided it's not worth the membership anymore when I hit financial hard times.
And this is why I told MENSA to go fuck themselves.

"You need to be an intellectual elite to get into our club! ...and $63 a year"
I couldn't even be arsed to tell them that. I saw they wanted money and after briefly wondering if this was another test, because surely smart people wouldn't pay for acknowledgement that they're smart... I just thought, nah.
 

Rastien

Pro Misinformationalist
Jun 22, 2011
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Eri said:
I recently realized I qualify for the society. I'm not going to bother listing my number, since it's not the important part.

I've read a few things where people seem to be actively hostile towards said members merely for being members. Maybe, it's jealously?

Do you have any experiences with members? If not, Have you heard any things related to them good/bad? How do you think being a member would appear on a resume?
Well im in the same boat as you and honestly i couldn't give 2 shits i was curious where i stood and apprently i can join MENSA cool... does this help me in anyway shape or form not really :/ at least not in my current job and position so i really don't care x)

I guess some people wear it as a badge of honour and some people are as you say jealous either way its just like an epeen measuring contest imho ^^
 

Nickolai77

New member
Apr 3, 2009
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I wouldn't overlook jealousy being a factor as to why people may be hostile towards MENSA, but...

I do have reservations against the society in that i think it's emerged from the uncritical acceptance of IQ tests being a wholly accurate measure of intelligence. IQ tests don't account for creativity or emotional intelligence and with practise you can get better at IQ tests, which suggests to me that to a degree IQ tests mainly measure how good you are doing IQ tests.
 

Limecake

New member
May 18, 2011
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Mensa is silly, while I agree that just being a member of the club probably doesn't turn you into an elitist jerk, it doesn't help much either. I don't know a whole lot about the club as I've only taken maybe one IQ test in my life (when I was younger and IQ tests aren't the end-all-be-all of intelligence measuring.)

But the fact that you need to pay a membership makes me wonder if Mensa would be a little more lax about their acceptance rules in the hopes of getting some money.

that being said I've never found smart people to be any better or worse than your average joe. The only problem is when they get full of themselves or elevate themselves over others due to a title they made up.

Furthermore the way we score IQ tests is flawed, a person can score a different IQ on the same test taken with some time apart, they could have different scores depending on the test they take and the tests can have a wide range of subjects to test or one simple subject.

I would do terrible at a IQ test that was heavy on Biology but I'd do pretty good on one that was focused on logic. Since IQ were invented the general population has been scoring higher on a regular basis, this means that the old idea of '130' being the magic genius IQ number isn't as accurate as it used to be.

TL;DR - Congratulations on your offer, but take it with a grain of salt.
 

Neuromaster

New member
Mar 4, 2009
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I hung out with my local group for a few years, met some absolutely fantastic people. We had a monthly meeting where people would get together & help put together/mail out that month's newsletter. Plus the hosts usually ordered pizza, so that was good :D

I eventually stopped going as I got busier & various people I was fond of stopped showing up. Never liked people's characterization of the group as "elitist". I mean yeah, it pretty much is by definition, but the stigma is BS. It's not really any different than a fraternity or any other exclusive club.

I'd recommend finding your local group (http://www.us.mensa.org/connect/local-groups/ if you're in the US) and asking if you can sit in on a meeting or two. Maybe take a look and see if any of the special interest groups look interesting.

Wouldn't put it on your resume though. Not relevant work-related information.
 

Colour Scientist

Troll the Respawn, Jeremy!
Jul 15, 2009
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I don't see how it can be an elitist club when last time we had a thread on this site on IQ every second member said that they had an IQ of over 140.

OP: I don't take people who place too much weight on IQ too seriously. Most people I know wouldn't take MENSA too seriously either. I guess it's like a sports or drama club but for people with a high IQ.

That said, the hostility you perceive probably isn't jealously and people presuming that it is probably doesn't help the society's reputation. It could have started out as indifference and when that was brushed off as jealousy, it became more hostile.
 

Stu35

New member
Aug 1, 2011
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Eri said:
I've read a few things where people seem to be actively hostile towards said members merely for being members. Maybe, it's jealously?
I'm not hostile towards Mensa members, I am hostile towards the organisation as a whole however - It seems to actively encourage elitist ego-stroking without achieving anything for the betterment of mankind. Something I consider a huge waste given that it is, supposedly, a gathering of some of the most intelligent people in the world.

As an example, lets look at its goals(taken from wikipedia):

1. to identify and to foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity;
2. to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence;
3. to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members


On the first note - how does pointing out someone's intelligence benefit humanity? or indeed, anyone?

Second - Self-serving tripe. In particular the 'uses' of intelligence have been obvious to mankind since we first sharpened a stick and used it to poke a sabre tooth tiger in the heart in order to avoid being eaten (if you catch my drift).

Third... Well, I'm not in it, so I've no idea if it does, indeed, achieve that, good for them if they do.


... I guess I hate Mensa for the same reason I hate it every time a University announces that it's PHD's have come up with a formula for the best way of making a bacon sandwich (actually happened at my Uni) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6538643.stm] - It doesn't actually fucking achieve anything. It takes, supposedly, the best and brightest we have, and instead of throwing them into the fight against Disease, Hunger, and overall world suffering, it lets them sit back, play advanced sudoku, and pat themselves on the backs for being so clever.

So, no, I don't hate people for being in Mensa, or even begrudge those who want to join - end of the day, good on them, and being a member doesn't stop them from using their intellect to the benefit of everyone. However it also doesn't encourage them to use their intellect for anything either, which I think is a waste.


How do you think being a member would appear on a resume?
I imagine that would vary from job to job - it wouldn't help you in any job I've worked at, but if you're going to work in an advanced intellectual level environment it might.
 

Erana

New member
Feb 28, 2008
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Stu35 said:
3. to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members


Third... Well, I'm not in it, so I've no idea if it does, indeed, achieve that, good for them if they do.

Gifted people aren't inherently superior, they're just different. (*insert exceptions here) Different intellectual strengths than an "average" person, as well as different intellectual needs. Gifted people often have a greater need for specific sorts of mental stimulation, or they go a bit bonkers. Gifted kids getting sick of the monotony of highschool and being burnt out on education in general is apparently an uncomfortably common issue, for example.
Not to mention, the ease of soul-crushing some gifted people. (Just think about how often Lisa from the Simpsons cries) Being able to get together with others who understand how you feel is soothing. As much as it can be a blessing, its a definite liability for a lot of people.

I never joined MENSA because I already had means of being with gifted people, and I can just "lol 18yr ol' 'merican college grad" to pull my gifted card. And then, my gifted card doubles as the card for both my college and (lack of) highschool education, things like that. There's plenty of legitimate reason for me to bring it up.
Getting a gifted card to pull is what bothers people about MENSA. You get to pull the card and haven't done anything in their opinion to earn it.
But if you do like me and do something to earn it, then they don't like you because they stereotype you as an immature 12-year-old. :/ Unless you're being a horse's ass about being in MENSA, these are the kind of people who are going to hate you for something pointless anyway, so don't worry about it too much.
 

Stu35

New member
Aug 1, 2011
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Erana said:
Getting a gifted card to pull is what bothers people about MENSA.
I genuinely feel no jealousy, no resentment, no nothing towards you and your academic achievements. What bothers me is people who think that I (and my ilk) do feel these things, just because you're intelligent in some areas.

Stephen Hawking and Prof Brian Cox are not popular because they have high IQs, or they did well in school. They're popular because they've actively worked to increase humanity's understanding of the Universe.

And those are just a couple of celebrity physicists - There are thousands of people out there working to cure Diseases, Resolve world hunger, work out how to avoid global warming - etc. etc. - If you applied yourself to it, with your 'gift', you could probably help them do it.

Do you see what I'm trying to get at?