this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2025
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I realized that "Mensa" didn't contain enough numerals to be a phone number, and knew it must be understood that any future member would be able to figure out the next two digits in the sequence. I tried dialling MENSANE, MENSAIL, MENSAFE, and MENSAAB, but got three rebuffs and a fax tone.

From "How I Joined MENSA" by Steve Martin

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[–] Apytele@sh.itjust.works 0 points 6 days ago

My parents told me it's a hit list for when the fascists take over ...but then they voted for the fascists.

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 89 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It discounts my impression of them.

[–] tourist@lemmy.world 58 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Same.

The entire concept of mensa always rubbed me the wrong way

It just feels like its only purpose is to be a magnet for narcissists.

You're supposedly one of the smartest people alive, and yet you somehow concluded that a good use of your limited time on Earth is to blow smoke up your own ass with a group of other pretentious jerkoffs who know how to cheese IQ tests

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 27 points 1 week ago

Most people smart enough to join are smart enough not to.

[–] ChexMax@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago

I listened to a podcast basically saying once you're really smart, it's likely your life just really sucks. Of course there are a handful of people who are wildly successful, but most high IQ people just feel like nothing in the world was built for them. Basically the father out on the bell curve you are, the less the world is made for you to function happily in, whether your IQ is 60 or 140. If you want to be smart and happy, a doctor or lawyer or whatever, 125 is the sweet spot. 140 is depression.

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

It just feels like its only purpose is to be a magnet for narcissists.

I’ve seen a few dating profiles near me with women claiming to be in Mensa. I’m glad they mention it, as it’s a dog whistle for me to move on to another profile that will inevitably ignore me because I just don’t stack up.

~That’s meant to be funny.~

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 week ago

I think that's a red flag, not a dog whistle. the latter is intended by the person publishing it

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

I think that's a red flag, not a dog whistle. the latter is intended by the person publishing it

[–] bobbyfiend@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago

Don't forget racists. Plenty of those are drawn to the Mensa labels, too.

[–] bobbyfiend@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago

This is worth the entire post and more. I'm chuckling while my kid gives me weird looks from the other room.

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[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 45 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There used to be a discount on condoms but it never got used.

[–] HoneyMustardGas@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago

This type of humor is paramount.

[–] dan00@lemm.ee 33 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Monthly emails about gathering with members, a useless plastic card and your ego filled to the brim. Don’t waste your time and money, weed is better.

[–] raltoid@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I know someone who joined on a bet that he couldn't get in, and he said the exact same thing.

[–] dan00@lemm.ee 5 points 1 week ago

It’s capitalism, it’s always that. How come YOU are looking for smart people, I pass your stupid test and I have to pay YOU ?!?! It’s like pretending a michelin star restaurant pays you for eating at their place just because you found them.

Bitch I’m the genius, where my money at? 🤫 /s

[–] dylanmorgan@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 week ago

Look up Jaime Loftus’ excellent podcast “My Year in MENSA” for an in-depth look at the organization.

[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 30 points 1 week ago (1 children)

In Spanish, mensa means stupid. You'd think geniuses would've chosen a better acronym

[–] digdilem@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 week ago

Blame the Romans.

Both words are derived from late Latin mentalis, from Latin mens, ment- ‘mind’.

[–] Anomalocaris@lemm.ee 23 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (10 children)

the mensa paradox.

people smart enough to get in, are smart enough to know it's not worth it

Bingo. What's more insufferable than a person whose life revolves around lauding their own achievements? A room full of them.

[–] deadcatbounce@reddthat.com 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Groucho Marx couldn't have said it better. Oh .. wait.

[–] Anomalocaris@lemm.ee 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

saying it with his voice is much better

however,

some things are better said in Groucho's voice the rest are better said in Harpo's voice.

[–] deadcatbounce@reddthat.com 5 points 1 week ago

It was actually a (too oblique) reference to his: I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member quotation. It was too oblique; my bad.

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[–] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 7 points 1 week ago

Yo 15% off at hotels and inns. Dope benefit

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 week ago

Fucking perkopolification of the discount landscape yet again

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[–] relic4322@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Its funny to qualify and not go after it. After exploration I found the same things. Whats the point? Only thing I could find was hey you can hang out with smart people.

Its lonely being SMRT so this seems like it might be a good thing, but you know what... you put a bunch of smart people in a room and they are all used to being the smartest in a group and its insufferable.

Better to not bring it up, and just find people that share your hobbies tbh.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 1 week ago

I mean, it also selects for people that have something to prove.

[–] bobbyfiend@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Thinking one step further: Even if I somehow got into MENSA (unlikely), I can't imagine ever saying, "I see you have a MENSA discount..." ugh.

[–] Carl@hexbear.net 10 points 1 week ago

If there's any discounts they probably take the form of a link on a website that gets you 10% off (clicking the link installs a cookie that increases your prices on that website by 10%)

[–] AfricanExpansionist@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 week ago

Half off soft drinks at Texas Roadhouse!

[–] yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

For anyone else wondering what a "MENSA" member is:

Mensa International is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world.[3][4][5] It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test.

I was already questioning why school/university cafeteria staff should get any benefits that aren't present in other jobs.

[–] Canopyflyer@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

Mensa membership is directly correlated to taking online IQ tests.

Truly intelligent people don't.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It’s like buying a knighthood from an organization that claims to have rights to grant such things. Even though the title is meaningless.

Mensa is the same.

IOW it’s an organization designed to take your money for a title. They get money, you get a meaningless membership.

[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I see one key difference, in social value:

Someone tells me they bought a meaningless knighthood: hearty laugh and a high five.

Someone tells me they're in MENSA: Awkward silence and maybe a mental note to check how they're doing more often.

Hah, yes. This is a good take.

[–] thirteene@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Hey my knighthood came with a certificate and everything! It's easily given me $100 worth of joy, anything that's not survival is bullshit. Lean into stupid if you can afford it and it makes you happy.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 8 points 1 week ago

ASSMEN/MENSASS has pro-state biases

[–] tonyn@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Apparently they get 15% off at Comfort Inn

And Alamo Car Rental!

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Oh shit, maybe I need to reconsider, as a very poor person with fancy test results.

Edit: US-only, it seems.

[–] Bunbury@feddit.nl 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Genuinely don’t know if I qualify. I tend to score pretty high on the tests because my brain “gets” the exact kind of logic they usually test. What is more important though is that the tests suck in so many ways that it makes the results basically useless. Also I have yet to meet anyone who brags about their IQ score who happens to be anyone worth knowing.

They’d need to pay me a lot of money to get me to even consider joining Mensa.

[–] RattlerSix@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I joined 20 years ago out of curiousity if I could pass. I did and paid for a membership for a year because why not, but i never did anything with it and never renewed it.

The one thing I might have liked is the local meetings. Our local chapter had a website where they talked about the meetings. They were informal, just dinner and chatting in a private room at a restaurant, and you could learn a little about the people from the website too. It seemed to be heavy on scientists and engineers. This is near a national labratory so that made sense. I would have liked to have more friends like that, still would. But, for all I know, mensa scientists and engineers might be the worst scientists and engineers. They also appeared to be mostly over 60 and I was 20 at the time.

There are discounts on certain things according to their website https://www.us.mensa.org/shop/benefits-and-services/

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[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Jamie Lofus did a podcast: (My Year In Mensa)[https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-my-year-in-mensa-55379945/]

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