Every Mensa group, be it geographical, Special interest, or online, has it share of Revolting Ralphs who grope boobs, stick their fingers in the chip dip, and troll for infamy. We pride ourselves on tolerating and welcoming and accommodating everyone, including the Revolting ones. That's fine for people like me, who have been around enough to know for sure that there are more well-socialized members than Revolting ones. Knowing that enables me to shrug off the dickheads and move on to enjoy cold beer with people I like.
BUT... new members do not have my experience. They run into revolting Ralph too soon and they are quick to turn away. The result, over time, is more gray haired folks, fewer energetic new ones, and general stagnation.
I think the uber Mensa leaders need to decide if Mensa in general is a club for people who cannot and will not fit in anywhere else... or if it is something a little more inviting than an insane asylum.
And if the latter, then we need to find our collective balls and turn away the Revolting ones, regardless of their poo-flinging and howling, and concentrate on being kind and welcoming to the members who ARE the sort of people we joined in order to find.
2 comments:
I think I was a person like you for a while, but then I realized it was stupid to keep paying for exposure to the Revolting Ones when I could keep the ones I joined to meet for free and cut the clutter. I thought I would miss it at least a little, at least the occasional pang, but I have been happily, blissfully, joyfully lapsed for several years now and I can't imagine what it would take to reel me back in at this point. Kudos to you for sticking with it through all the frustrations, though. I'm glad there are people like you there when people like me join, even if we eventually wander off for less toxic pastures.
I'm having my serious doubts about continuing much of my involvement. I'm holding off to see what happens with the FB groups, but I expect I will throw up my hands and at the very least quit as a proctor because I no longer feel good about recommending this club to new people.
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