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Mensans v Non-Mensans
Jill, at Feministe, makes a blog post ridiculing a comment that uses Mensa membership to validate a fondness for the Cathy comic strip.

The first comment starts off with a defense of Mensa and an earnest explanation of what it means to be a genius. But soon comments erupt criticizing all standard tests, defending standardized tests and Mensa, along with accusations of ableism, lamenting the loneliness and social ostracization that is the lot of smart people and horror at Jill's very appalling anti-intellectualism.

SweetMachine nicely rounds up the kerfuffle: Way to fight the good fight, Mensa lovers! Put that genius to work!

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blue_linnet
2010-08-22 04:35 am UTC (link)

I'm extremely skeptical of IQ in general..it just doesn't seem to make any sense. Nearly everyone I know who took IQ tests in school got 130 or higher, and I have an abormal number of friends who claim 150+ IQ. I mean, my friends are mostly bright and creative people, but...that most people I know, IRL and on the internet, just happen to be in the top 2 percent of intelligence? It doesn't seem reasonable. Where are all these 70 IQ people at, or 90 IQ people? Because it seems there'd have to be just as many of them. (Now, to be fair if people tested that way they'd probably not be telling people, but still..)
It really doesn't make any sense to me.

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	snarkhunter 2010-08-23 06:11 pm UTC (link)
	The other possibility is that you have self-selected to be around very bright people. Which is not to validate the tests, which we all know are shit. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	ladyvorkosigan 2010-08-24 12:52 pm UTC (link)
	Part of must be that people's IQ's aren't static - people who have taken more than one test are likely to be telling you the highest. Which is to say, yeah, I agree with you. It doesn't hold together. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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