Thanks to the behing-the-stage girl, I came across the add for MENSA. IQ testing. A favourite past-time when there was nothing else to do and we would solve Tickle IQ test, comparing our results with our peers. All of them were in english and we did not really feel like solving them. I remember we used to breeze through the last few questions just for the sake of it. A, B, B, False, Yes, Green, “done”. What`s my IQ? 129! Whoo-hoo!
At least this one will be an official one.
yeah, took exactly that one once. it was fun and quite a bit challenging. according to the results, it seems I qualify among the top 2% of humanity according to the Mensa-measured IQ. and? so what?! being smart is merely a great tool that one is lucky enough to own. most people never use it. most Mensa members never use it.
but, what I find most interesting is this sentence, translated from the mensa.si page:
The purpose of the [Mensa] founders was to offer intelligent individuals a possibility to convene based exclusively on the basis of their IQ and regardless of their political beliefs, race, religion or lifestyle.
(original: Namen ustanoviteljev je bil ponuditi inteligentnim posameznikom možnost združevanja zgolj na podlagi visokega inteligenčnega količnika – ne glede na politična prepričanja, raso, vero ali življenjski slog.)
now, what I find appaling here is the implied message, which is either: (a) that discrimination based on one’s IQ is better than discrimination based on race, religion, whatever, or (b) that people should not convene based exclusively on their race, religion, whatever. both interpretations are, of course, equally absurd. both are equally stupid. and, regarding (b), what the hell is a catholic mass if not a convention of people based exclusively on their religion?!
now, I checked what the international mensa.org has to say about it. well, the message is stated slightly differently there:
The original aims were, as they are today, to create a society that is non-political and free from all racial or religious distinctions.
not exactly the same, is it? well, as I suppose that the author of the slovene interpretation of the founders’ intentions is him/herself a Mensa member, I can only take this as a proof that belonging to those 2% of humanity does not really make a difference. you can still be an asshole. qed.