# Is joining mensa worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359 "2014-10-24T15:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/21 "2014-10-26T12:21:58Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve only known a couple of people in mensa and I honestly think they are in it for the ego boost - basically to say “hey look at me I’m in Mensa”. > . I’ve honestly never met anyone like that; mostly I only meet people who don’t join because they find the premise silly or they join and then decide it’s not worth paying the dues. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/22 "2014-10-26T15:45:37Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > The magazine isn’t great; we could have more and better programs; we need younger members. But I don’t have to explain my jokes or cultural references or every damn thing I say. It is an oasis from dumbshitness. I like the Bulletin. Heck they even published something by me a few years ago. Whoops. I probably just made your point about the magazine not being that great. :smack: As for some of the other posters saying Mensans can be book smart but socially awkward, well there is some of that. However I’ve met many well adjusted, successful people in Mensa. While I’m an introvert, I’m certainly on the practical side. I worked as an aircraft mechanic for a couple of decades plus did stints as a car and bicycle mechanic. I’ve taught classes as a community college. Now I’m a database administrator. Joining Mensa gave me a measure of confidence that allowed me to change careers a few times. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/23 "2014-10-26T15:47:20Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > bicycle mechanic. I’ve taught classes as a community college. Now I’m a database administrator. Joining Mensa gave me a measure of confidence that allowed me to change careers a few times. I’m a bicycle mechanic too!!! And I tutor for community college. Actually one of my coworkers got me thinking about Mensa, he used to be in it a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/24 "2014-10-26T18:42:10Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve never understood how smartness alone is a category one would aspire to be to. Now take some other activity like say mountain biking, tennis, kayaking, woodcarving, or knitting - that might be fun to join a club for. > > I’ve only known a couple of people in mensa and I honestly think they are in it for the ego boost - basically to say “hey look at me I’m in Mensa”. > > I’d have to look but once in the “Dilbert” comic Dilbert was asked to join but he didnt see a reason. I’ve been in Mensa for over 20 years. I have NEVER observed any member who bragged about his/her IQ. Never. In fact, most tend to not even mention their membership to others. It can lead to unfortunate consequences. I found it to be invigorating to have a chance to meet people who participated in activities that I _don’t_ currently share. I’ve met folks from artist to zoologist. It was a Mensa member that I’d never have met otherwise who convinced me that I certainly could become a programmer, which I did, and which was a life-changing event. Ditto private pilot certification. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/25 "2014-10-26T23:02:11Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > I like the Bulletin. Heck they even published something by me a few years ago. Whoops. I probably just made your point about the magazine not being that great. :smack: It has some good content, but it looks pretty amateurish. Which shouldn’t be a big deal, really, as it’s an all-volunteer staff, right? No one in Mensa has EVER asked me my IQ or told me his except for my husband; we both took two tests: on one, he scored one point higher than I did, and on the other, I outscored him by one point. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/26 "2014-10-27T22:09:01Z")
I joined in 2002 or 2003, but I must admit it’s more of a vanity thing. I’m not active, though; back in my law school years, I’d occasionally go to events at the local chapter, but that was more of the let’s-go-to-a-bar-and-have-a-drink type of thing which I could have done in any other sprt of environment just as well. When I finished my degree and moved away, I did not bother finding a chapter elsewhere, and my membership has been confined to occasionally browsing the members’ magazine. That is in Germany, however, where Mensa is not as big as it is in the US or the UK. Is it worth it? Well, I’m not getting much out of it, but the membership dues are not overly onerous, so there’s not much to gain by quitting either. I fully agree with the idea that it’s ultimately up to the individual member to decide whether it’s worth it or not; there’s no objective standard to judge this. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359/27 "2014-10-28T01:15:39Z")
I joined in '80; Des Moines had an active group, and I had a lot of fun. I kept up my membership after I joined the Navy - even got a membership in British Mensa while I was stationed in Scotland - but after I made E6 I had to start paying full dues. At that point I hadn’t attended a meeting in several years, and I decided the increased rate was too much to pay just to read the monthly magazine, so I dropped my membership in '92. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joining-mensa-worth-it/702359.md?page=1)