Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies
Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
Publisher Founding: March 1, 2014
Web Domain: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com
Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Journal: In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal
Journal Founding: August 2, 2012
Frequency: Three (3) Times Per Year
Review Status: Non-Peer-Reviewed
Access: Electronic/Digital & Open Access
Fees: None (Free)
Volume Numbering: 12
Issue Numbering: 3
Section: A
Theme Type: Idea
Theme Premise: “Outliers and Outsiders”
Theme Part: 31
Formal Sub-Theme: None
Individual Publication Date: August 8, 2024
Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2024
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Word Count: 1,074
Image Credits: Lesly Juarez on Unsplash.
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2369-6885
*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citations, after the publication.*
Abstract
Mateo Muça is 19-years-old and interested in high-IQ societies and tests. He discusses: interest in high-IQ tests; interest in high-IQ societies; any IQ tests; high-range tests; general impression; favourite aspect; main set of hesitancies; skepticism; intellectual interests; tests; contribute to these communities; and final thoughts.
Keywords: alternative tests, achieving a high score, brain teasers, challenge of high scores, creating own blog, depression and puzzles, exclusive resources, Glia Society, high IQ community, high-IQ societies, high-range tests, intellectual challenges, intellectual interests, IQ as intelligence measure, IQexams.net tests.
Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So, thank you for reaching out. What is your interest in high-IQ tests?
Mateo Muça: Thank you for conducting this interview with me. I didn’t expect that after our conversation, you would suggest interviewing me; I’m even a little nervous. If you don’t mind, Scott, I’d like to make a small digression: I’m 19 years old and have only recently become interested in high-range tests (about 1 year ago) and especially in the high IQ world, so please don’t judge my possibly naive answers too harshly :’).
My main interest is on finding beautiful solutions to well-designed problems. Additionally, I’m intrigued by the challenge of achieving a high score and also becoming a part of an IQ community, with the Glia Society likely being the first one.
Jacobsen: What is your interest in high-IQ societies, generally?
Muça: In general, it’s interacting with intellectual people that aren’t united by a single topic (like mathematics), It seems rather odd to join a math forum and initiate discussions on philosophy. For me, this diversity is a plus, and I hope to learn a lot and see a wide variety of problems.
Jacobsen: Have you taken any IQ tests before?
Muça: As for the “pro” tests, I haven’t taken any yet (because I want to approach them with full seriousness, especially considering that usually no more than two attempts are allowed (and my Jewish soul won’t allow me to pay for a test that won’t reflect my true results😇)). Overall, I’ve taken: Numerus Basic, Tic Tac Toe, NSE, several tests on the IQexams.net website and a few others similar to Mensa tests. I am currently taking the Algebrica, Numerus and SLSE 1.
Jacobsen: How have you done on some of these alternative tests, high-range tests?
Muça: I achieved the maximum or close to the maximum scores. I can assume that the results of these 3 “pro” tests will be above 165.
Knowing the specific result won’t change me as a person or provide much benefit, so I don’t worry about it too much. It’s just a nice number, like 180, and the fact that I’m “ONE IN 20,000,000!”.
I don’t know when I’ll submit these tests, as the coming year will be very difficult for me, and I probably won’t have the time and desire for tests. We will see…
Jacobsen: What is your general impress as an outsider to these communities with an interest in them?
Muça: It’s very difficult to describe impressions of communities you haven’t been a part of. But, overall, most of them seem either dead or on the brink of extinction. High-entry communities often seem more about prestige or status, a community with fewer than 100 people united only by high test scores is unlikely to be very active and productive (especially over a long time). I’d join such a group only for the numbers (since something might still happen and be talked about there, perhaps). On the other hand, communities with very low entry requirements (115-130 points) don’t seem very useful either; it’s better to stick to “Quora” or similar websites, then. These societies also seem a bit mysterious and aloof due to their closed policy.
Jacobsen: What is your favourite aspect of considering joining them?
Muça: Since I am a quite lonely person, it would be nice to find friends or even a partner there🤭, though I’m not counting on it too much. And, as mentioned earlier, communication with intellectual people.
Jacobsen: What is your main set of hesitancies?
Muça: In general, I have no hesitations about joining; there can’t be any if I can remain anonymous, but… I’m afraid of encountering a lot of narcissists and megalomaniacs, aiming to feed their egos and elevate themselves above others, seeing a large number of such individuals in these communities would be very disappointing. It would also be quite disheartening if the communities turn out to be “deader” than I expect.
Jacobsen: Where do you think skepticism is warranted?
Muça: Most of the skepticism I’ve read about is valid. I won’t list it here; you can easily find it online. But all this skepticism doesn’t change the fact that these tests are currently the best measure of intelligence we have.
Jacobsen: What are your current intellectual interests? Why those? When did they develop?
Muça: My intellectual interests are as abundant as they are sparse. I love everything that can challenge my brain, but at the same time, the “stars need to align” for me to start solving something. For example, I haven’t touched the SLSE 1 test for more than half a year because I simply haven’t been in the mood, or I am busy with work, or there are other barriers. In general, there are many things I would like to try, but for now, I have more plans than accomplishments🙃. My interest in different kinds of brain teasers significantly grew when I was 14 or 15 years old, around the time I began struggling with depression and started passing the time solving various puzzles. By the way, I am actively fighting it now and observing positive changes.
Jacobsen: What would you see as some of the benefits of joining the communities?
Muça: Everything mentioned above. And also: networking, which can be valuable for personal and professional development, access to exclusive resources and intellectual challenges.
Jacobsen: What tests would you like to take, but they look a little heftier and more difficult?
Muça: I would like to try some “Spatial” tests but they seem too abstract, which is off-putting. However, I will eventually try them.
When it comes to “Verbal” tests, I might be interested in a test with low entry requirements in terms of knowledge and language dependence.
Jacobsen: What do you hope to contribute to these communities?
Muça: My time and I have an idea to create my own blog or something similar in the future, where I will definitely mention IQ, even if just in passing.
Jacobsen: Any final thoughts today?
Muça: It would be nice if someone or a group of people took charge, displaced other communities, and developed one large community. However, there is a lot of work involved, and I don’t think anyone will take it on. It would also be great for the societies if cheating could be prevented, but that’s practically impossible.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Mateo.
Muça: I wish everyone well. Goodbye, Scott!
Bibliography
None
Footnotes
None
Citations
American Medical Association (AMA 11th Edition): Jacobsen S. Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies. August 2024; 12(3). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça
American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition): Jacobsen, S. (2024, August 8). Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies. In-Sight Publishing. 12(3).
Brazilian National Standards (ABNT): JACOBSEN, S. Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies. In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, Fort Langley, v. 12, n. 3, 2024.
Chicago/Turabian, Author-Date (17th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. 2024. “Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (Summer). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça.
Chicago/Turabian, Notes & Bibliography (17th Edition): Jacobsen, S “Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (August 2024).http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça.
Harvard: Jacobsen, S. (2024) ‘Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, 12(3). <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça>.
Harvard (Australian): Jacobsen, S 2024, ‘Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça>.
Modern Language Association (MLA, 9th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. “Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vo.12, no. 3, 2024, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça.
Vancouver/ICMJE: Scott J. Conversation with Mateo Muça on Intrigue with High-IQ Societies [Internet]. 2024 Aug; 12(3). Available from: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/muça.
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