Musings on High IQ Societies

[Alexander Morou]

When I was younger, I heard whispers and rumors about a high IQ society named Mensa, I looked it up, and in the end thought: "What pretentious pricks." I was mostly focusing on the major point of the society: their stipulation towards being in the 'top two percent'.

As I've aged, I've felt a bit distanced from those in my age group, typically finding comfort in those twice my age or more (ever discussed parsing methodology with an old and seasoned PhD holding Professor?) I often hear from those closest to me, and those I would consider friends, that I'm brilliant, smart, or just 'way out there'. My views about high IQ societies have changed over the years, due to having a difficult time fitting into social groups in my region.

The biggest change came when I read an article from a group called The Prometheus Society, named The Outsiders. It starts out by describing a man named William James Sidis, and the social issues he had, whom finally opted to disappear from the limelight in favor of complete isolationism, living and working in a most unimpressive manner.

While my development is nothing near his, the interesting part happened to be when it described those of an IQ range beyond 150, how they had a tendency to become isolated and were so disinterested with school they became truant and lazier than even a normal gifted child. This article, along with a growing feeling of distance, smaller groups of friends, makes me wonder if there is value to be had in such a society: a place to fit in, ignoring the pretension of their selective nature for the sake of acceptance.

My main question to everyone here today is: What's your view on high IQ societies, are they useful, or just a bunch of pretentious pricks? Discuss the societies you know of, and whether they fall into the useless or useful category.

 

[Venetia]

I was contacted by some branch of some gifted organization when I was in school. I can't quite remember who it was or why but they kept trying to set up appointments to formally test me. I think a teacher had passed along a recommendation to them. I'll admit, I was curious, but I kept passing up the opportunity. And then for years afterward other organizations like mensa sent me letters inquiring about tests. (No doubt they all share information just like credit card companies etc.)

I feel that they're incredibly pretentious. "I'm so smart, I'm in a society of smarties. And you're not allowed, nyah." But there are some good sides to them as well. They offer a network of people you can share a commonality with and perhaps use to your benefit. If you're into that sort of thing.

I stray from any kind of organization or group. I never find it terribly necessary to get validation of my own abilities through a network of people. But I can still see why other people would get something useful out of them.

I wouldn't want to be a part of a group that would require me to be judged just to gain access. I know I'm decently intelligent and that's enough for me. I don't care what anyone else's opinion on it is.

 

[Alexander Morou]

The idea wasn't so much the test itself, but rather a series of individuals that you can talk to and feel as though you connect on an even level.

I have a very difficult time finding someone I can talk to without feeling like an outcast, or like the article, an outsider.

 

[Venetia]

Just because someone is intelligent doesn't mean they'd have anything in common with you.
I've been to dinner parties attended by college professors and had absolutely nothing to say to them because I have little interest in books or extreme left-wing governmental policies.

You'd be better off finding kindred spirits in a hobby group.

You like coding, I'm sure there are organizations of programmers somewhere out there, and you'd likely have much more in common with them and feel more fulfilled out of the relationship.

 

[Alexander Morou]

It's not so much the IQ itself that interests me, but rather, in the case of the Prometheus society, their writings that described the difficulty in adapting to social situations, and there being a statistical link between social isolationism and scholastic laziness to a child's IQ. It reminded me a lot of me as a child, my best friend was twice or more my age, the school counselor and later the Nurse due to my truant disinterest in school altogether.

It's more the realization that you're not alone, especially since I have difficulty finding people who can relate to me, and my experiences. People seem surprised that I had barely passing grades (GPA 1.67 at the start of my senior year, 2.0 at the end), they always think that I had a 4.0.

 

[Venetia]

I did the same shit. Scored within a 99 percentile of all my tests, yet only just barely kept from flunking out of high school.
But that doesn't necessarily mean we'd get along on an afternoon stroll or that I'd call for another.
It takes more than traits for people to connect in a meaningful way, it takes commonalities in interests.

 

[Alexander Morou]

Forget it.

This topic is a waste of time.

The only way I'll find out if the society is worth its merit is to apply.

I'm not focusing on IQ itself, but social acceptance. I have a hard time connecting to others, even in areas that interest me, like programming. Programmers find me out of place because I have no interest in business programming. I program because it's fun, not because I want to make buckets of money. When it stops being fun is when I stop doing it.

 

[moog]

lol ok