From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: t: Re: t: Re: IQ Test Creation Question
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 22:36:07 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.163342.5336@ncsu.edu> scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) writes:
>
>cjdcosta@eos.ncsu.edu (CHRISTOPHER J DCOSTA) writes:
>: scott@bogus.net.address (Scott Tai) -
>: >Okay.  I challenge the Mensa members to clearly state what aspect
>: >of their intellect is superior, or just what these tests are testing. 
>: 
>: Oh, for heaven's sake.
>: 
>: YOU claim we're superior, you incorrigible little pest. We never have.
>: If any Mensan has claimed superiority on ROM, it's only been to annoy 
>: you- you not only have an axe to grind, you've already ground it to 
>: bits together with everything around and below it not to mention half 
>: of China. On the other hand, even the average houseplant would feel 
>: superior after reading what you post- so stop blaming Mensa for your 
>: shortcomings.
>
>Christopher:
>
>I can see that my presence on rec.org.mensa is disagreeable for you.
>Painful as it is for me to recognize this, I see that it is so and
>cannot be otherwise.  I do not reproach you.  I do not regret, and
>shall never regret, what I did; my only desire was to question the
>validity of "IQ" tests, and now I see I have not attained that.  No, 
>this won't do; I must turn over a new leaf.  Tell me yourself what 
>would give you true happiness and peace of mind.  I put myself 
>entirely in your hands, and trust to your feeling of what is right.  
>I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and I'll never think ill of Mensa again!

Scott, please don't ruin your new leaf by missing the point, which
I suspect you are doing on purpose.  It is irrelevant what you
think of any organization.  It certainly makes no difference to me.
You are subject to abuse because you or someone using your account
has a history of being abusive and illogical.  This is not something
to be proud of.  Actually, I feel superior to lots of people and I
don't give two sh*ts what they or you think of it.  It has nothing
to do with any organization or group or some number on a test, but
merely my impression of the behavior and ability for logical debate
of those people I feel superior to.  And if you wish to be taken
as an equal by me or anyone else on the net or anywhere else, you
will have to continue to disprove peoples' negative impression of
you.  This is a very common lesson that people generally learn
very early in life.

Claiming that people are angry because you are somehow a threat to them
may be a way to feed your own need for a feeling of superiority, but
it is only a self-reinforcing process, because they will be threatened
by someone who is indeed a threat, but only to their right not to be
pestered, annoyed, and subjected to abuse.

If you'll remember my post and my e-mail in which I stated that
I suspected that you or someone posting under your name were somehow
menally defective, remember also that I was not insulting you for
no reason, but because your postings made me sincerely believe
that.  If this is your idea of something not to regret, I'm
plenty confused.  Especially since you've admitted that those posts
of yours did not have the effect you desired, but went pretty
far in getting people disgusted with this newsgroup, but not for
the reason you'd prefer.  

I have no doubt that there are people in Mensa that think that
it makes them a better person.  There are people in high-school
that think they are better than those not in high-school, and
those that think that Republicans are superior to Democrats or
whatever.  You can go searching for them and tell them that
being in college makes one superior, and that they are wrong.
If this is your bag, hey, go crazy.  Me, I'd be bored by it.

If you want to prove something, please play by the rules and
enter into logical debate, and concede when you are proved 
wrong, and everyone will be happy.  Just keep doing what
you've been doing, and remember not to put words in anyone's
mouth by your own.  Play fair.  Don't call names.  Don't pee
in the pool.  Pay attention to what people say.  That way,
if you get someone to agree with you, you'll have a good reason.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa