Depends on what you define the elite as. If you define it as the group with the talent and the willingness to put in the graft to enter and / or remain in that group, then an elite is OK, as long as those are the only barriers to entry. However, in our (UK) society, they are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions. One can be born into the elite through the achievement of one's parents, or even one's ancestors' brown-nosing to a long-dead sovereign, and have all the advantages of money, contacts and superior education to stay there.
Even if you have the talent, and are prepared to put in the work, if your face doesn't fit, or if you don't know the right people, you don't get to join. I think a number of studies have been done, and despite all our social progress, Britain's society is still as class-ridden as ever.
Of course, if by elitism, you don't mean society as a whole, then things may be slightly different. For example, in education, giving the brightest academic students the more tasking tuition makes sense - and the nobheads who think that we shouldn't segregate in this way are those who made my school life nice and easy - but that doesn't mean we should give up on the not-so-bright - rather investing resources in vocational training etc may be a good way forward. Ultimately everyone should have something to contribute to society given the opportunity - though of course there will always be a few scroungers.
So my answer is - elitism is fine in a meritocracy - and given we live in a more complex society we should find a balance with egaltaranism.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-08-12 03:02 pm (UTC)Even if you have the talent, and are prepared to put in the work, if your face doesn't fit, or if you don't know the right people, you don't get to join. I think a number of studies have been done, and despite all our social progress, Britain's society is still as class-ridden as ever.
Of course, if by elitism, you don't mean society as a whole, then things may be slightly different. For example, in education, giving the brightest academic students the more tasking tuition makes sense - and the nobheads who think that we shouldn't segregate in this way are those who made my school life nice and easy - but that doesn't mean we should give up on the not-so-bright - rather investing resources in vocational training etc may be a good way forward. Ultimately everyone should have something to contribute to society given the opportunity - though of course there will always be a few scroungers.
So my answer is - elitism is fine in a meritocracy - and given we live in a more complex society we should find a balance with egaltaranism.