If you found out that 96% of Mensa Members....?

Question

(Mensa, is a members only group for people with an incredibly high IQ. You must be in the upper 98% of the world in order to join.) If you found out that 96% of mensa members were registered to vote Republican (this isn't true) could you vote that way assuming they were probably right. Like wise if you are a Republican and you found out that the Mensa members overwelmingly voted Democrate, what would be your response?

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

Answer 1

My first response would be "Those numbers can't be right"...most mensa members don't care about politics that much.

Answer 2

As you included the Advocates quiz, may I assume you're libertarian-leaning? If so then you must know that TRULY intelligent people don't waste their votes on the donkeys or elephants. :)

I've consistently scored around 160 on IQ tests throughout my life, but I'm not sure I put a lot of stock in them. Logic and rational thinking are critical parts of intelligence, but they're not the only parts. And most of us know at least one highly intelligent person who is lacking in some other quality, like compassion or common sense. So I wouldn't necessarily be too swayed if I learned that a large majority of Mensa members voted in one direction (regardless of whether it was towards or against my personal political leanings).

Actually, my first reaction would be to suspect some form of political bias, either in the study and/or the sampling of Mensa members.

I consider myself a highly rational thinker, but as both a libertarian and an atheist I'm also quite the freethinker--I tend to judge on the merits of a proposition, not the merits of those proposing it. If it was put to me that I should vote some way because a large majority of Mensa members vote that way, I would consider that to be an argument from authority. And considering that intelligence has (unfortunately) precious little to do with politics, while I might give it some consideration, it would not be a deciding factor. I care far more about the principles themselves, as opposed to who else supports or is against them.

Answer 3

I wouldn't vote the same way as another fellow Mensa because they would vote that way...I am me...I believe in making sure that the right person get the spot that deserves the spot....

Besides most Mensa don't have any feelings and they are very cold to deal with and live with....they think with there heads and haven't figured out how to use their hearts to live a true life.....some do have psychological problems and some like me are too analytical and they have trouble at times deciding what and how to deal and feel.....

Answer 4

Hang around Mensa a while. It will give you a better feel for the value of intellect.

Admittedly, they spell better than the average AnswersAddicts. Otherwise they're as prone to unfounded opinion as the rest of humankind. They just generally believe their intellects are the most important thing about them.

Common enough belief, I suppose.

My answer would be they ought to vote any way they choose, or not vote, if that's what they think's best.

Answer 5

Finding out which way Mensa Members voted wouldn't change my way of voting or who I voted for. I vote for who I beilieve in. I listen/watch the canidates and see where they stand on the topics etc that are important to me/the nation. If they are for the things I'm for, and I think they'll actually do what they're saying or at least try dang hard to do so (sometimes you're hands are tied... you can want to do something but for instant it won't go through congress), then that's who I'm going to vote for. I don't vote for a party. I vote for a person.

Answer 6

Mensa members are book smart not common sense smart. I had a friend that is a member and I used to tell him all the time...MENSA..? Mensa my AZZ! He could conjure up all kinds of useless knowledge yet socially/simple common sense things & he would turn into a bit of a tool.
So no either scenario would not influence me.

Answer 7

Frstly, as silverlock1974 and Jack P were implying, people who are members of Mensa do not reflect the opinion of "smart people" as a whole, just certain smart people who feel most comfortable spending their time with only other smart people in a club that validates the value of their being "smart." Even if you could have "96%" agreement, having ensured that your poll of them were valid, it would already have selection-bias built in and show you a very narrow view of what *some* "smart" people think.

Secondly, as R[̲̅ə̲̅٨̲̅٥̲̅٦̲̅]ution implied, highly intelligent people tend to entertain extreme ideas and consider themselves to be independent thinkers. It is highly improbable that a group of highly intelligent people (even so self-selected) would all share the same political leanings. [Unless it s the "Russian Literature and Practical Applications In Modern Society" discussion group, or something. ;^) ]

Thirdly, modern politics is divisive by design. There is no political organization or group that perfectly conducts itself with measured reason in consideration for the greater good. A lot of it is just a punch and judy show of power grabs and posturing while special interests tend to inexorably work behind the scenes toward a fascism as "friendly" as the public will allow or propaganda may engineer. ;^)

Enjoy your life. Stick to causes that you care about. Learn deeply -not just about issues- but the world. Get with friends. Discuss.

(Go on! Oy! I m all verklempt! I ll give you a topic: the WikiLeaks: fourth estate, or 5th column? Talk amongst yourselves.)

Answer 8

Less than 1% of people in the U.S. who are eligible for membership actually join Mensa.

Less than 1/10 of one percent of eligible people world wide decide to join.

I definitely wouldn't base any of my own opinions on the opinions of Mensa members.

Answer 9

Allowing the most intelligent to rule defeats the purpose of democracy. When everyone votes, everyone submits their opinion and thus their perspective. The problem with allowing one group to rule is the complete loss of perspective from everyone else. We may not have a high IQ, but we may see different things than one group can, so... no, i would not vote assuming they are right because I and everyone else has a unique perspective to contribute to making decisions.

Answer 10

No. Smart people are potentially evil. Dick Cheney is a blazingly smart individual, but I'm pretty sure he is the anti-christ or at least some kind of sith lord or something.
Also carve your own path. Go the other way in the pool. Water flows south, swim north. Cognitive dissidence man!