I’ve never met anyone who had the temerity to inform me they were a member of Mensa.

High IQ is always an interesting filter, but it’s hardly everything.

It doesn’t mean you’re not a coward, either.

I’ve always figured, all things being equal, that if you want to meet smart people, you hang around University bars, University coffee shops. Universities.

Used book stores. Poetry readings. Stuff like that, where you can just blend into the crowd and interact to the extent that suits you (rather like blogging).

But taking a test to join a club where you then meet and are Smart People together?

It sounds like applying for a job at the postal service.

Or some kind of cocktail-free cocktail party.

Point being; you need something to do besides being smart people together.

Maybe if it was a secret club, like Fight Club. If the first rule of Mensa was you don’t talk about Mensa, that would make more sense. (Maybe that is the first rule of Mensa.)

But the idea of making someone’s acquaintance, who immediately commenced upon announcing to you that s/he was a Member of Mensa…I’d find that immediately suspect. I’d think; here is someone with a chip on his shoulder, who has something to prove. Who will not be good at being wrong about anything.

I think one of the hugest problems of clubs is how easily they come to be dominated by narcissists, the little Napoleons that are everywhere. And Mensa is bound to especially attract that sort of trade, I’d think.

If I wanted to try to meet people by joining a club, I wouldn’t look for a club that was framed around “We’re The Smart People.”

I’d look for one that was framed around a mutual interest in some highly specialized geeky hobby. I can’t do that where I live, as this town is only about 16 miles square and pretty retro, and no serious University (big drawback).

But if I lived somewhere with more potential, I’d look for something like the West Central Slime Mold Society. I bet there are some really nice people out there studying slime molds.

Look! I was right. Here are some lovely slime mold images:

Beautiful Purple Pustules!

Helpful Graphic of Slime Mold Life Cycle

Really Beautiful Purple, Like A Sea Anenome, Except Apparantly On A Tree!

This One Is Especially Gorgeous! Like A Map!

You know, I wrote this kind of as a joke, but there are a whole shitload of absolutely fascinating photographs out there if you search for “slime mold images.”

Who knew?