Need national help

[tdiym]

Do other Mensa groups have factions? By this, I mean one group of local Mensans in the group who don't like another group of Mensans and the subgroups are constantly sniping back and forth at each other and talking about how terrible the people in the opposing group are? 
And if that's not enough, we've got people who actually try to get other

Comments

mensans are just people

[ravhowie]

sadly, yes, other groups have their factions (sometimes small, sometimes big), too. IQ and test-taking ability says nothing about "playing well with others", or common sense, or social skills.

I've been in Mensa for 35 years, belonged to 6 different chapters (including one I helped start), and have seen my share of factious behavior.

You'd think we'd at least be the kind of people who'd allow other people to have opinions different from our own ... we are a "discussion group" after all, but there are those who don't realize that an "argument" doesn't necessarily mean "yelling at one another".

[swingchickie]

hey, i've never heard of isolated M... where can i find info?

and amen to everything you said. i've belonged to 2 chapters now, and haven't really had warm fuzzies about either. there are certainly nice people in each, but the rest... there's only so much nastiness i can take.

[mediavore]

Hey, thanks for the link and info! I just pitch my regional newsletter straight in the recycle bin when it arrives in the mail, it's that dry.

[beckyzoole]

There are certainly some people I'd love to see leave Mensa -- the creepy guy who plays with himself during the monthly meeting, for one. But social skills are not required for membership.

The only way to get someone "run out" of Mensa is if the national board holds a hearing and finds they've committed "acts inimicable" to the organization. Usually that means they've either stolen from Mensa, or brought a lawsuit against the group.

Holding different opinions is a problem only if those opinions are along the lines of "the treasury money actually belongs to ME", or perhaps "it's fun to file frivolous lawsuits!".

[tdiym]

I totally agree with you, social skills can almost be a handicap in Mensa in some situations (present company EXCEPTED, of course, which is why I posted here!)
My local group has forever been famous for having one faction trying to excommunicate members they disagree with/disapprove of. I believe our group actually did reach the level of a national court marshall hearing for one of the local members several years ago. I mean, these people can get vicious! It always seems a little crazy to me but I guess bright people with plenty of opinions and time on their hands can find all kinds of fun things to do.
I should probably take it more seriously than I do but somehow I like trying to shine a mirror back on those who seem hell-bent on proving their right to exist at the expense of others and see if they can recognize their own ways in what the other faction has done. I think censorship is a sword that cuts both ways, and taking away the rights of one group diminishes us all.

[finocchio]

It sounds like you live in Western PA.

[tdiym]

Ha ha ha ha I don't, but that was a great comment

by way of the group definition?

[kajiracad]

A similar thought train was rumbling through a friend's LJ recently:
re groups