GoKawiilEssay revisits Asimov's rejection of Mensa's elitist high-IQ culture
A blog post recalls Isaac Asimov's own account, from his 1994 memoir, of why he distanced himself from Mensa and similar high-IQ societies, quoting his observation that many members viewed themselves as a superior group destined to rule and leaned toward right-wing views he rejected. The piece also cites Philip Klass's discomfort with John Campbell Jr.'s racialized remarks and Asimov's public stance against racial or religious nationalism during a debate with Elie Wiesel.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The reflection uses Asimov's decades-old critique to comment on ongoing tensions between intellectual gatekeeping, elitism, and prejudice within communities that prize measured intelligence. It underscores that high IQ does not inoculate against irrational or bigoted thinking, a point still relevant to debates about meritocracy and identity today.
- Asimov criticized Mensa members for feeling superior and skewing politically conservative.
- Philip Klass recalled being troubled by John Campbell Jr.'s racialized comments about Jewish people.
- Asimov publicly opposed racial and religious nationalism in a debate with Elie Wiesel.
I. Asimov: A Memoir by Isaac Asimov — The article quotes directly from Asimov's own memoir, so why not read the whole thing? It's a candid, chatty look at his life, his friendships in the science fiction world, and his sharp opinions on things like high-IQ societies. A great pick for anyone who wants the full context behind that famous Mensa passage.
See I. Asimov: A Memoir by Isaac Asimov on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: bookandsword.com — Pavel Vaverka, 2026-08-26
Published there as: “A Citation to Asimov”
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