History UsefulNotes / Mensa

* RogerZelazny – American writer

* Sir Jimmy Savile – English DJ, actor and television/radio personality.

* Creator/QuentinTarantino – ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'', ''Film/KillBill'', ''Film/PulpFiction'', etc
* Marilyn vos Savant – The last person ever listed in the Guinness Book of World Records under "Highest IQ"[[note]]The category has been withdrawn. She qualifies for and is in Mega (see above under AlwaysSomeoneBetter), and the chance of someone else scoring that high - or even what scoring that high means - are up to subjective interpretation.[[/note]]

*** Unfortunately we live in a world where intelligence is equated with wealth, power, and over all usefulness. If we use that height example, we need to assume that height in that scenario is equated with what we equate intelligence to. By telling a >6 foot person they didn't 'fail', they simply didn't qualify... at being useful, successful, wealthy, powerful, etc. They were born worse, less advantaged, and for that reason they cannot join. Throw in a few bad eggs snobbing it up and Mensa's public image of being a giant circlejerk starts to make sense, especially in the United States if people still think "All men are created equal" holds any water.

** Statistically, the total of people with an IQ in ''only'' the 3% range outnumbers the top 2% and 1% ranges ''added together''.

* ThisAintRocketSurgery

*** Unfortunately we live in a world where intelligence is equated with wealth, power, and over all usefulness. If we use that height example, we need to assume that height in that scenario is equated with what we equate intelligence to. By telling a >6 foot person they didn't 'fail', they simply didn't qualify... at being useful, successful, wealthy, powerful, etc. They were born worse, less advantaged, and for that reason they cannot join. Throw in a few bad eggs snobbing it up and Mensa's public image of being a giant circlejerk starts to make sense, especially in teh United States if people still think "All men are created equal" holds any water.

** It's important to note that of the 6 million or so people in the USA with IQ's qualifying for Mensa membership, only a fraction that percent of them ever join Mensa. Some feel it's a little prideful to join the organization. Some people think the members are full of themselves. It is true that with high IQ often comes a low emotional IQ and a group of people with low emotional IQs is certainly a weird group - this applies to top 2% members and non members alike.

** It's important to note that of the 6 million or so people in the USA with IQ's qualifying for Mensa membership, only about 1% of them ever join Mensa. Some feel it's a little prideful to join the organization. Some people think the members are full of themselves. It is true that with high IQ often comes a low emotional IQ and a group of people with low emotional IQs is certainly a weird group.

** It's important to note that of the 6 million or so people in the USA with IQ's qualifying for Mensa membership, only about 1% of them ever join Mensa. Many of the remaining 99% view Mensa as a sort of "Who's Who" type racket, populated by people who lack the drive to work on intellectually challenging pursuits, but still feel the need to congratulate themselves for being blessed with potential. Most smart people pride themselves on the accomplishments they earned, because it's normal for people to value hard work and perseverance. The fact some Mensans think it's appropriate to put their membership on their resume, and any criticism of this act is because "dumb" people would be intimidated, speaks to the disconnect between Mensa members and what normal people (of all intelligence levels) find worthy of pride and indicative of value to a potential employer.

*** Unfortunately we live in a world where intelligence is equated with wealth, power, and over all usefulness. If we use that height example, we need to assume that height in that scenario is equated with what we equate intelligence to. By telling a >6 foot person they didn't 'fail', they simply didn't qualify... at being useful, successful, wealthy, powerful, etc. They were born worse, less advantaged, and for that reason they cannot join.

* Glenne Headly - Wife of Creator/JohnMalkovich, appeared in ''Film/MrHollandsOpus'', ''[[ThePhilSilversShow Sgt. Bilko]]'', and other films.

* TranslationTrainWreck: Mensa was started in England, and no one knew how big it would eventually be. They chose "Mensa" for the noble reasons mentioned above, possibly not even knowing there would eventually be a [[http://www.mensa.org.mx/ Mexican chapter of Mensa]]... and "Mensa" loosely means "(female) idiot" in Mexican Spanish. "¿Estas mensa?" is "Are you dumb?"

** You will notice often news reports will say things like "Child joins Mensa, IQ as high as UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein!" well.... Einstein never took an IQ test. The man was smart, no question, but we don't have a number to work off of - IQ tests were being developed ''while he was publishing his most famous papers''. Creator/StephenHawking's name gets thrown around in exactly the same way, but he's never taken an IQ test either (or at least never went public about it.) If you think about it, when you've already conquered the field of physics and have multiple doctorates - why even ''bother'' taking an IQ test?

* DysfunctionJunction: You know how people with really low [=IQs=] seem to have little weird tics and issues? Same deal on the top side - think of it as both extremes are close to "the edge". Oh, there are many in Mensa who pull "normal" off well, but the smart are weird. [[http://medicaldaily.com/news/20120604/10149/genius-insanity-schizophrenia-bipolar-disorder.htm There have actually been studies done showing the link between genius and mental issues.]] Unfortunately OCD, ADD, ADHD, paranoia, autism, etcetra... many Mensans have at least a tiny pinch of an assortment of that stuff. Don't worry, though - if you qualify, [[OneOfUs you probably have something too!]]

Some people refer to Mensa as an "elite" organization in a pejorative sense.[[note]]It doesn't help that "elite" is a rather broadly defined word. Yes, the most intelligent are absolutely "elite" in having the highest [=IQs=], but many in that group would not characterize themselves as "the best" or "superior to others" in most other respects. (And continuing on down the definitions, they are definately not a 10-point typsetting commonly found on typewriters.)[[/note]] It's important to remember that Mensa's requirements are not intended to exclude, but to ''find and bring together'' highly intelligent individuals[[note]]Because it's not like it's very polite to go asking random people on the street their IQ[[/note]]. While of course there are some who join to prove something to themselves, the majority join to meet people and make friends. Some find it very helpful in understanding their own intelligence to have the chance to be around others who they already know are intelligent.

The events differ according to whatever a local group does, often having meetings at restaurants, or games nights, or parties at people's homes. The events are posted in a monthly newsletter. Some groups have more events than others. Most groups are centered around cities, making it harder for Mensans who are out in the country to attend regularly. Each local group is loosely led by a Local Secretary ("[=LocSec=]") who is voted on. Many local groups largest events of the year are Regional Gatherings (RG), which usually attract members from nearby areas and often last a weekend at a hotel. An RG usually includes low room rates for the group, a hospitality suite with food and socialization, a games room and a number of seminars on a range of subjects. Some Mensans make it a point to go to as many RG's as possible - there's usually one going on every weekend, somewhere, in the United States at least.

* Alan Statham, the neurotic Consultant radiologist, from ''GreenWing'' states that he's a member of Mensa.

* In ''Narbonic'', the superintelligent gerbil Artie is jokingly called "The Mensa Rat".

* In ''Webcomic/Narbonic'', the superintelligent gerbil Artie is jokingly called "The Mensa Rat".

* FantasticRecruitmentDrive: Nope, though you can't blame [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent normal people]] for daydreaming about being recruited because the organization noticed they were smart. It would be fun to think that Mensa is out there scouring the world for super intelligent people, but it isn't - and actually a lot of intelligent people are kind of skittish about BigBrotherIsWatching so that would backfire considerably. The organization is not a secret in any way and hopes people who think they are intelligent get themselves tested and apply for membership.

** You will notice often news reports will say things like "Child joins Mensa, IQ as high as UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein!" well.... Einstein never took an IQ test. The man was smart, no question, but we don't have a number to work off of - IQ tests were being developed ''while he was publishing his most famous papers''. Main/StephenHawking's name gets thrown around in exactly the same way, but he's never taken an IQ test either (or at least never went public about it.) If you think about it, when you've already conquered the field of physics and have multiple doctorates - why even ''bother'' taking an IQ test?

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Mensans are not a stuck-up bunch thumbing their noses at the dummies. Quite the contrary. Many Mensans were the dorks, nerds and geeks in school and remember all too well what it was like. You don't join Mensa to lord it over the dummies. A person's IQ was genius level before they got the test showing it, and a person can be a dick ''without'' having to join a club. Mensa members join to meet other people with high [=IQs=].

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Mensans are not a stuck-up bunch thumbing their noses at the dummies. Quite the contrary. Many Mensans were the dorks, nerds and geeks in school and remember all too well what it was like. You don't join Mensa to lord it over the dummies. A person's IQ was genius level before they got the test showing it, and a person can be a dick ''without'' having to join a club. Mensa members join to meet other people with high IQs.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Mensans are not a stuck-up bunch thumbing their noses at the dummies. Quite the contrary. Many Mensans were the dorks, nerds and geeks in school and remember all too well what it was like.

* [[http://www.achewood.com/index.php?date=10172005 this comic]] of {{Achewood}}. Ray apparently bought his way into Mensa.

* NerdsAreVirgins: Um. No. Not only will most Mensa parents beg to differ, but some of the special interest groups Mensa has may [[HeadTiltinglyKinky make your eyes pop out]]. If a member is a virgin, the chances are it is [[Asexuality by choice]] and not because they "can't get any".

* NerdsAreVirgins: Um. No. Not only will most Mensa parents beg to differ, but some of the special interest groups Mensa has may [[HeadTiltinglyKinky make your eyes pop out]]. If a member is a virgin, the chances are it is by choice and not because they "can't get any".

* Glenne Headly - Wife of JohnMalkovich, appeared in ''Film/MrHollandsOpus'', ''[[ThePhilSilversShow Sgt. Bilko]]'', and other films.