MENSA

What connects Isaac Asimov, Asia Carrera, Buckminster Fuller, Geena Davis, Martin Cooper, Julie Peterson, Alfred Hinds, and Bobby Czyz .

 

Well, the connection here is that all those described above are, or have been, members of Mensa .

I came across Mensa during my days as a young trivia hunter, and gave it a go when I saw the phone number for an India chapter. I thus became a member a few years ago, falling within the 99th percentile of the standardised IQ test, the Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test. It should be noted that Mensa traditionally doesn’t give absolute IQ scores, though it’s usually stated that the 98th percentile on Cattell corresponds to 148. Any numbers beyond are fairly arbitrary anyway, given the standard deviation.

Mensa is the largest, oldest, and best known high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organisation open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised intelligence test.

Mensa’s constitution lists three purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence; and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.

Mensans come from all walks of life and almost every job and profession, representing almost every age group. The most interesting member I have come across is Isaac Asimov. Perhaps the most prolific author of all time, he wrote/co-authored more than 500 books, and has been published in nine of the ten categories of the Dewey Decimal System. This novelist/ short-story writer/ essayist/ historian/ biochemist/ textbook writer/ humorist was a long time member and vice-president of Mensa International.

Perhaps I’ll come back to this post when I explore this community further in the future.

18 Comments

  1. Congratulations, 20 would be considered QUITE young for Mensa here, though technically you must have given the exam at 19. Do tell me when they give the numerical value/score. Even amongst Mensa members, few qualify in the 99th percentile as per the standards set by them. I think that should place you among the top scoring members in your region.I remember you being very very Happy and saying it was such a pleasant surprise. But then, who’s surprised?

  2. Congratulations, 20 would be considered QUITE young for Mensa here, though technically you must have given the exam at 19. Do tell me when they give the numerical value/score. Even amongst Mensa members, few qualify in the 99th percentile as per the standards set by them. I think that should place you among the top scoring members in your region.

    I remember you being very very Happy and saying it was such a pleasant surprise. But then, who’s surprised?

  3. Was the Steve Martin thing real or a joke? I read that he wrote a comic article about Mensa for the New Yorker and has been rumored ever since to be a member. Anyway, welcome to Mensa! I’ve been a member for about 5 years and have met some interesting folks.

  4. Was the Steve Martin thing real or a joke? I read that he wrote a comic article about Mensa for the New Yorker and has been rumored ever since to be a member. Anyway, welcome to Mensa! I’ve been a member for about 5 years and have met some interesting folks.

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