Letters

Mike Keller

I would like to comment on the letter form John Perez (MAAM, April 97). John said that the most common complaint of members is officers running things as they saw fit. OF COURSE THEY DO. That in itself does not bother me. One reason people become involved in an organization is if you want something done right..... John has a very valid point (and Stevie, Bill, Carol, Etc.).

As far as cliques: even in the three years I 'hung out' with mensans before 'doing the right thing' (at least it seemed like a good idea at the time) I was MOSTLY welcomed by MANY of the members. It was not that there were cliques per se, rather that some of the members just did not shmooze as much as others. It is important to remember that every group is composed of INDIVIDUALS. Try just getting to know one or two people for a start.

I recently was speaking to a renowned paleontologist, who commented several times how socially backward MENSANs were (he had spoken to a group of them). He was unaware of my membership, and I laughed right along with him, not having the courage to 'fess up. The fact is, I can see where people might get that impression, but Mensans do not have a monopoly on social misfits any more than anyone else. I think rather that some members take ownership of the organization, while others are just absorbed in their special interests. One event I attended was in honor of the wedding of a member. I noticed from the time I arrived people were pretty uniformly rude to me, but they had a right to be. The guest list included some VERY strange looking people, BUT I WAS NOT ON IT, and really should not have been there.

The functions I have attended otherwise have been, for the most part, very enjoyable. Total strangers have made a point of making me feel at home. I do not attend every salon (in fact darn few of them). There are members who love to entwine in deep philosophical discussions, but I generally do not. After problem solving (what the test really measures) all day, sometimes all I really want to do is kill a few brain cells and relax.

There is one other thing. As with other offices, members of Mensa's Exec. Committee should remember they are representatives of Mensa. Not everyone in Mensa has the time to become that involved, but they DO have a voice. Suggestions and criticisms are valid ways of guiding an organization, and should not be taken personally.

Mike:

Thanks for your thoughtful letter. You reiterate the point that Mensa is what you make of it. ExCom is there to reflect what you want; the meetings are open to everyone. Get off your couch and come down!

And simply being a member of a group does not automatically guarantee that you will be deluged with attention - you’ve got to let people know you want to be welcomed. As another member said, you may want to just be there, and not want to be intruded upon, and standing aloof and waiting to be approached may be interpreted as, "leave me alone."

Good points, Mike.