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From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Mensa and elitism
Message-ID: <166@ttidcc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 15:31:27 EST
Article-I.D.: ttidcc.166
Posted: Tue Dec 18 15:31:27 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 00:52:47 EST
Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA.
Lines: 38

I knew we'd get around to this sooner or later ...

As usual, the point has been raised that Mensa is an elitist  organization.
This  is  true.  It  is  also  true  of highschool football teams, symphony
orchestras, and the company you probably work for (do you  seriously  think
they  hire  anyone  who walks in the door?).  Any organization which sets a
standard for membership is an elitist organization.  I  don't  hear  anyone
condemning the American Bar Association for being elitist (you have to pass
a bar exam to join).  I've never been able to pass a  calculus  course.  Is
the   American  Mathematical  Society  to  be  criticized  for  denying  me
membership?

We live in an elitist society.  To claim anything else is  pure  hypocrisy.
The  concept  "that  all  men  are  created equal" has a fine, high-minded,
idealistic ring to it.  It is also utter nonsense.  The fact  is  that  all
people  are not created equal and they certainly don't become equal as they
grow older.

If you're going to criticize Mensa then you also have to criticize Phi Beta
Kappa,  Psi Chi, and all the other scholastic honor societies.  How many of
you belong to one or more of these?  Should I  blank  out  the  "Summa  Cum
Laude"  on my diploma because it's un-egalitarian? ( :-) You should live so
long.) Who out there belongs to the ACM (takes two recommendations to join)
or the IEEE (full membership requires an engineering degree)?


There!  That should put the cat amongst the pidgeons.


-- 
The Polymath
(Jerry Hollombe)                  Opinions expressed here are my own
Transaction Technology, Inc.      and unrelated to anyone else's.
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA  90405
United States
(213) 450-9111, ext. 2483
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