From: tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: /T/T/T/ What is the purpose of this newsgroup and Mensa?
Date: 6 Apr 92 20:14:58 GMT
Reply-To: tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai)
Organization: NCSU Artificial Intelligence Systems Laboratory

moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com writes:

> In other words, "I know what Mensa is like because I read this newsgroup."

Since you missed the previous article...
michaelg@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Michael Greenwald) writes:

>The style and content of the arguments here are getting out of hand.

> I don't mean to pick on Phil Hill, and I don't mean to defend Scott
> Tai (that is, some people here seem to believe that all beliefs are
> binary: either you are a Mensan or a Mensa-Basher.  So please don't
> take this post as a blanket endorsement of all Scott's positions, nor
> as a blanket condemnation of Phil Hill's.)  I'm picking one trivial
> point which is no worse than all the others that I've seen, and no
> more significant.  It just happens to be the proverbial straw.  

> It is typical in form, if not, necessarily, in content:

> phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill) writes:

>>tai@ailab.ncsu.edu (Scott Tai) writes:
>>>hellmond@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Peter H. Hellmonds) writes:
>>>
>>>> written by someone who is no member of mensa and can therefore give very
>>>> little insight into what's really going on.
>>>
>>>By keeping up with this newsgroup since its inception, I tend to disagree.
>>>If the posters to this group are representative of MENSA as a whole, than
>>>I have undoubtedly gained some insight into this organization.

>>Mr. Tai,  This is a CLEAR CUT case of you quoteing someone out of context.
>>This is of course your own way to dedend your own stupidity here.  I'll post
>>the whole thread here:

>> [deleted]

>>Or paraphrased for those of you who can't decypher nested threads:

>>Monty:  Is this newsgroup typical of Mensa?
>>Tai:    Sadly enough, it is.
>>Peter:  Mr. Tai is not a member of Mensa can't answer Monty's question.
>>Tai:    I know what Mensa is like because I read this newsgroup.

>>Mr. Tai, You have just scored a perfect ten on the BULLSHIT meter.

>>I want to see you worm your way out of this one!

>"I know what Mensa is like because I read this newsgroup" 

>does not seem to be a reasonable translation of 

>">>>If<<< the posters to this group are representative of MENSA as a
>whole, >>>than<<< I have undoubtedly gained some insight into this
>organization."

>I have emphasized "If" and "than" [sic].  Many people have used your
>interpretation of Scott's words to construct a straw man they then
>proceed to knock down.

>Come on.  The second clause of Scott Tai's statement might be false,
>(although, to nitpick, even if "the posters to this group are not
>representative of Mensa as a whole" it is possible that "[Scott] has
>gained some insight into [Mensa]", although the mechanism implied by
>his statement would not be the agent of his "gaining insight"), but
>here you are not arguing, you are just picking a fight.

>Maybe Scott started it, I don't know (read: "I don't care").  

>Other than by a liberal use of kill files, I can't legislate what you
>post [again, not to be taken personally by Phil and Scott - this just
>seems to be a general trend among several posters on this group], but
>it seems like the barroom rule should apply here.  If you aren't going
>to respond in a "civilized" way, (i.e. argument, rather than
>repetitive baiting), then maybe you should "step outside" (and "come
>back in friends"? to complete the cliche).

>There are no bouncers here, other than your conscience.  If I'm a
>minority opinion on this, then my post is way out of line, and I
>apologize.  Again, I don't mean to single out Phil Hill or Scott Tai.

Think before you post... and thanks, Michael :)


---------
Scott Tai