This is my thought also; I've heard it said that opera/ streamed education/ organisations like mensa/ etc are 'elitist'.
Someone said to me the other day that 'elitism' has 'universally negative' connotations. i don't hink it does - I think it's a word used by people who cannot get what they want to beat those who have it. I worry that it's a word that will become, like various sexual and racial words/descriptions, perjorative and negative through over-use by people who would let their jeasousy, fear, and hatred define their political and social beliefs.