History UsefulNotes / Mensa

** Some people who already work in intelligence-heavy jobs like engineers and teachers may think that this whole IQ thing is a crock because everyone they know is smart - that's usually because they're ''already'' SurroundedBySmartPeople and don't get out among the lower/average IQ folks much, and not realize they are among SmallReferencePools of people.

** 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. Main/StephenHawking's name gets thrown around 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?

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: In 2013 Yahoo came out with a news report [[http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/shakira-genius-literally-230321038.html?vp=1 announcing that some celebrities are members of Mensa]] - claiming that the list was released by Mensa itself. [[https://www.mensa.org/news/mensa-international-refutes-recent-press-stories Mensa quickly stepped up and explained that they never give out lists of members]] because it is each member's own decision to say if they are a member or not. (The list below is of celebs who have come out and mentioned it at one time or another.)

Anyone can join if they have scored at the 98th percentile on the accepted tests. All you need is one test score - low scores on previous tests do not count against it. After that requirement, any human, any color, any creed, any income level is welcome to join. Mensa likes to point out that while people call them elitist, you will find it hard to find another organization so accepting of so many different types of people.

* AlmightyJanitor: Remember: Intelligence is born, not made and college degrees are earned, not granted. There are many, many Mensa members who are college professors, authors and the like – but there are also many truck drivers, janitors, and other blue-collar workers. [[note]]There are also multiple-degree professionals who have not scored high enough to join Mensa.[[/note]] When you go to a convention, and everyone is dressed in their street clothes it can be really hard to tell the difference between the blue-collar and white-collar workers - which is sort of the point of Mensa. Many “almighty janitor” sorts don’t advertise their membership because it usually attracts uncomfortable “why aren’t you a rocket scientist” questions they don’t want to have to bother answering. Fact is, a high IQ does not always make a good student.

Anyone can join if they have scored at the 98th percentile on the accepted tests. All you need is one test score - low scores on previous testing does not count against. After that requirement, any human, any color, any creed, any income level is welcome to join. Mensa likes to point out that while people call them elitist, you will find it hard to find another organization so accepting of so many different types of people.

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': On "Need To Know" it's revealed that Abby Sciuto is a Mensa member, when she mentions meeting a 'guy from NASA' nemd Colin (who turns out to be a child) at a Mensa meeting.

* NotSoDifferent: Folks in Mensa do all the things everyone does. They forget things. They make mistakes. They forget that just because they can often figure things out and usually leap to the correct conclusion doesn't mean they're ''always'' right.

* ChildProdigy: Averted, usually. Oh, if a prodigy who is being reported about on the news is also a member of Mensa it will get pointed out, but most kids in Mensa are just kids. Really ''smart'' kids, but normal kids all the same. To be a prodigy you have to be good at something well before you should be, and intelligence doesn't always manifest itself in early musical ability or math skills.

* Theodore Bikel - Was Nominated for an Academy Award for 1951's ''The Defiant Ones''.

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". (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.

Some people refer to Mensa as an "elite" organization in a pejorative sense. 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.

What would you see if you went to a Mensa event? Well, of the three stated goals above, most members enjoy the social aspect. Being able to meet people who you absolutely know have a like level of intelligence is not something Mensa members get in their daily lives.[[note]]Which at first experience can be both wonderful and/or surprising. Wonderful in that it's nice to see other people thinking like you, but surprising in that some intelligent people aren't very accustomed to other people "keeping up" with their thought processes[[/note]]. What you find for the most part is people sitting around and talking, playing games, sharing jokes and doing other things normal people do. You’ll see all the sorts of people you would see at any social gathering. Probably not everyone you see will be a member, either. A Mensan's spouse and children are welcome at events, whether they themselves actually qualify or not. While in the general population, extroverts outnumber introverts, in Mensa this tends to be flipped with introverts in the majority.

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 (originally mailed on paper, these days posted online.) 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.

Mensa does not have an established platform or set of values. Individual Mensans can and do have opinions about religion, politics, etc - but the organization as a whole does not. Inside of Mensa are multiple Member-operated Special Interest Groups ([=SIGs=]), of varying activity levels on subjects which range from religion to politics to movies to ESP to medical conditions to food. A [=SIG=] must be approved by the national organization to become official, and cannot use the words "Mensa" or "Mensan" in its name[[note]]because to do so would imply the larger organization's official endorsement of that special interest[[/note]].

Mensa does not have an established platform or set of values. Individual Mensans can and do have opinions about religion, politics, etc - but the organization as a whole does not. Inside of Mensa are multiple Member-operated Special Interest Groups ([=SIGs=]), of varying activity levels on subjects which range from religion to politics to movies to ESP to medical conditions to food. A [=SIG=] must be approved by the national organization to become official, and cannot use the words "Mensa" or "Mensan" in its name.

You can watch a history of Mensa from its origins that then specifically follows North American Mensa here: [[http://youtu.be/qZmx1bov1ec Part 1]], [[http://youtu.be/fwQhqKtm4Qk Part 2]].

* General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. – planner of [[GulfWar Operation Desert Storm]]

* Ashley Rickards – Actress on ''{{Awkward}}'' and ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryMurderHouse''.

It cannot be stressed hard enough that if want to be in Mensa, but don't score into it - we are sure you are smart enough not to base your perception of yourself ''on a number''. Everyone has an intelligence they can make the most of, even if it isn't exceptional.

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

* Alan Rachins – Actor on ''LALaw'' and ''Series/DharmaAndGreg'' (Dharma's father).

* Sir Jimmy Savile – English DJ, actor and television/radio personality, and posthumously-revealed serial rapist.

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