I’ve been punked.
For of all things, not being a member of MENSA. Not that I ever applied. Believing with Groucho Marx that I don’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member. (Not saying they would have me. Hell, I couldn't get in the door with a subpoena. Just saying, who the hell needs that? Take Jim Born. He doesn't need it).
MENSA calls itself the oldest and largest “high IQ society in the world.” It’s for brainiacs who have an unquenchable thirst to be recognized as such. Like wearing nerdy MENSA tee-shirts.
I don’t mean to be critical of all MENSA members (Mensans?) I think it’s cool that former porn star Asia Carrera and the pro wrestler known as Raven are members, and Albert Einstein was inducted more-or-less against his will. (He’d been dead 35 years at the time).
So how exactly was I punked? A dear friend of mine broke up with his girlfriend, causing her to spew out hundreds of testy emails, first to him...then to me! What did I do? Nada. Except to suggest that the young lady’s personality a bore certain resemblance to that of Jodi Arias, currently on trial for shooting her boyfriend and stabbing him 29 times, including one slash that nearly decapitated him
Anyway, among the emails I received was this one.
“More and more I get the feeling that you are very much like a ratio.....a fraction. Hmmmmm. I assume you are not a fellow member of Mensa......? You probably have no idea WTF I am trying to say to you.”
Actually I agree I am a fraction. In the words of the Beatles, “I’m not half the man I used to be.”
But back to MENSA. James Randi, the magician, debunker of faith healers, and winner of a MacArthur “genius grant,” has perhaps the best line about the group. “People who are smart get into MENSA. People who are very smart look around and leave.”
1/4 a/k/a Paul Levine
Hard to argue with a woman with a knife. Hey, doll, can I but an edge on that for ya?
ReplyDeleteLove the James Randi quote. The only thing that has impressed me about MENSA members is they seem so impressed with themselves. Most people who mention their affiliation with the group are people I don't know. "Hello, my name is Shawn. I'm your waiter and did I mention I'm a member of MENSA?"
ReplyDeletePatty, in Los Angeles, the server will give you a copy of his/her one-sheet in the event you're casting a new picture.
ReplyDeleteMost members of Mensa do not publicize their membership and describe the organization as being made up of people who received an abnormal score on certain psychological tests. Also, most Mensans know that there are many kinds of intelligence, and they are members because they have an aptitude for taking tests.
ReplyDeleteDoes being good at Jeopardy at home, qualify... hehehe...
ReplyDeleteI would rather join you, Mr. Levine, than MENSA. Rather glad that your friend's ex sent you the email otherwise we wouldn't have had these words from your "messy mind." Don't think "messy" would cut it with MENSA.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy DuPont. I'll try to live down to my usual standards!
ReplyDelete