I won’t even read the thread, but here’s my fearless prediction… here comes the rush of “I’m a member, but of course it’s not a big deal!” and “I’m not a member, gosh what a waste of time, though of course I COULD be” posts…
Same here bdgr I joined my little bloke up when he was 8, also on the results of his IQ test. I thought he might find some other kids to talk to who didn’t look at him as if he was a Martian or something. Sadly, despite a supposed drive to recruit kids into Mensa here, there weren’t any and I have let his membership lapse this year (he has just turned 10 as well) At least with Mensa it is a policy that once you have been a member you don’t have to go thru the rigamarole of testing again, so if he wants to rejoin as an adult he can.
I personally am not interested, even if I thought I might pass the entry requirements it doesn’t seem to offer anything locally for me and besides I couldn’t afford the testing.
Why would anyone join Mnesa for anything other than bragging purposes? Seems like a money-making scheme these days to me… Kinda’ like buying into the Who’s Who in the Class of ___ National Yearbbod Registry!
Besides bragging rights, and other obvious benefits, are there any real benefits of being a Mensa member? Has anyone put “Mensa member” on a resume or anything similar?
I don’t need an organization to tell me how smart I am.
I am not a member, and not going to be.
I find it the pinnacle of irony that a club of geniuses would use the word “Mensa” as their club name.
another raised hand Central NJ Mensa.
IMHO, there are actually very few “self-righteous, holier-than-thou elitists.” It’s fun. We have great parties. I’ve met lots of people I would never have met otherwise.
There are local, national and international Special Interest Groups for almost any topic you can think of. The members I’ve met all seem to be friendly, interesting, and open to new ideas. They love to talk – about every subject under the sun. Many are very into games of all types. They come from all walks of life. Some have advanced degrees, some have high school equivalencies because they dropped out of school. Local groups have local newsletters and calendars in which any group member can place an event. Some people get very involved in the politics of the group, most do not. There are national and local committees and action groups for causes like gifted children or literacy. There is a national essay competition for scholarships. One year, after a disastrous flood in the mid-west, a spontaneous project gathered books to help replenish destroyed libraries. But mostly it’s a chance to get together with other interesting people who can and will learn about anything. There are regional and national gatherings attracting from a few dozen to 2000 people for a long weekend of speakers, programs, games and hanging out all night.
I met my best and closest friends in Mensa.
In my experience, there is little or no point to buying a membership for a child, though, unless you find that the local group has a really active program for youngsters. At one time they offered a half-price student rate, but that was discontinued some time back. There are some groups that do cater to children quite a bit, to the point of having special “Young M” activities monthly at at their regional gatherings.
Oh, and it is quite a joke that although the name was taken from the Latin for “table,” signifying a table at which all are equal, it was found years later to be a form of a Spanish word for “fool.” Mensans tend to have lively senses of humor and to especially love puns, the worse the better. Definitely not boring.
In response to your first point - I joined for the same reason that I joined Straightdope - except I do Mensa in person. Since American Mensa is broken into local groups – each local group can offer its own activities which, in my group, include about 10 - 20 parties a year. There are other activities - but I can confirm that if drinking beer is high on your priority list - Mensa is a good place to start. I also joined to meet Mensa babes but most members have me beat, sometimes by a wide margin, in years on this planet. Hence - only babes from Christmas past.
In response to your second point - about Mensa being a “money-making scheme” — all I can say is that Mensa is a non-profit society. Mensa doesn’t “make money.” Except for the National Office, Mensa is run entirely by its volunteer members.
Not a member. It’s not that I’m philosophically against it; rather, I don’t qualify.
I was a member long ago. Didn’t really enjoy the people there more than other people, and there was a bit of an elitest attitude.
But more importnatly, I really wasn’t comfortable telling people in my life, “I’m a member of Mensa.” I think IQ score is a private matter. To me, it’s like saying “I’m incredibly beautiful, the top 2%, far more beautiful than everyone else,” or such. Which isn’t bad if you’re talking to someone else incredibly beautiful, but if the other person isn’t, and never will be it just strikes me as very very bad manners.
When they tested my IQ way back when and put me in gifted classes, my parents refused to tell me my IQ as they felt I’d tell others and have an elitest attitude. In hindsight I think that was a valuable lesson.
And my personal opinion is that people who do the opposite with their kids – putting them in a position where they are encouraged to tell their friends that they are much smarter than them – are teaching them a very bad lesson.
Ditto.
How many Dopers are Mensans? Does that mean how many dopers are members, or how many members are “qualified”? I would hazard a guess that a majority of dopers are qualified as “mensans”, but are not neccesarily Mensans.
I, from high school, have been told " you’re very smart", over and over again. Since asthetic beauty was not my forte, I went with intelligence. I wanted to join Mensa to be a part of something. I knew of the SAT score that “guaranteed” Mensa entrance, but I had taken 1 year less in math than my peers.
So I got an 1190, my IQ scores have scored me above 133 EVERY time, so I’m (on most scales) admissable to Mensa. Am I a member? No. Am I qualified? Seems so.
What incences me are statements like these,
"When they tested my IQ way back when and put me in gifted classes, my parents refused to tell me my IQ as they felt I’d tell others and have an elitest attitude. In hindsight I think that was a valuable lesson.
And my personal opinion is that people who do the opposite with their kids – putting them in a position where they are encouraged to tell their friends that they are much smarter than them – are teaching them a very bad lesson."
How can someone who has bee moved to a “gifted class”, not be affected by the results, regardless of their actual IQ? My parents never told me my IQ either, I found it out for myself. If my parents had tought me to how to deal with being smarter than other people, I think I’d be better off now.
“Smart people” aren’t neccesarily members of Mensa, and vice-versa.
I probably deserve all the hell I catch for this.
There’s a big difference between taking classes with advanced topics and being told a large number. The class content had plenty of value in lots of ways in life. The large number doesn’t do much but swell the head. And at the time, this concept was explained as well.
The sole entrance criteria to Mensa is a big number. And in fact, the people in Mensa are smart. But saying “I belong to Mensa”, or “My son belongs to Mensa” is identical to saying “I have an IQ greater than 130 (I think that’s the criteria)”. Identical. And to me, that’s an extremely rude statement to make to others, especially in the (literally) 98% chance that their IQ is less than yours.
I don’t agree. I let my 10yr old read his IQ report from the testing psychologist tonight. He was thrilled. “I am not a weirdo at all am I then. The next time someone tells me that at school I will tell them its because I am so smart” was his response. We then had a discussion about how claiming high IQ at school might not be a wise idea, and he is smart enough to understand why. Reading the report did his battered self esteem a lot of good. He may not have made the school sports teams that he desperately tried out for in an attempt to fit in, but he now knows his intellectual ability is very real, and all those results weren’t a fluke
He knew he belonged to Mensa, but really didn’t think much about it, as he was never involved in anythng with them
Those who are members know the faculties of being one. Seems some people on this board like to point fingers and laugh, sorry folks but wisdom is a cruel mistress. I joined because my fiance was an officer and I was always at the parties with her. Now I’m on the board and she’s ex-officio.
Mensa is a conduit for some to excel in certain fields. Unfortunately some of the stereotypes are true and some people do join just for bragging rights. I steer clear of those folks as it is not with-in my own capabilities to be in close proximity to them. All in all Mensa is a good tool for those who know how to use the organization correctly.
Elligible, but not particularly intereseted. ::shrug::
No I did not join the smart people club.
I am Honorary MENSA! My bestfriend gave me his expired card and he sends me the monthly magazine. I’m smart enough NOT to pay the $45 yearly fee
My Mom has been a member for decades. When I was a young teen, I qualified based on a school IQ test. I was a member from the ages of 16-18 and went to one or two events. This was in Los Angeles if it makes a difference. I found the people, the magazine and, in fact, the whole concept to be lame and I didn’t renew my membership.
Haj
Mensa? whhaaaaa? I’m a goin back to watchin ma stories…Chelsea! Pashmina! get back inside here naaa an grab me a beer from the fridge while your at it.