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.
No, elitism has universally impressive connotations on one level or another - it's generally thought to be something that's superior. If superiority is to be scorned (see any and all comments along the lines of 'global cultures' and 'equality and diversity') then yes, elitism is bad.
On the other hand, there _are_ people who are more intelligent, richer, luckier, prettier - call it what you will. And they will be envied and they will tend to find peers of a similar social standing and that's how our world works nowadays.
I'm not sure anyone ever lets anything but jealousy, fear and hatred define their feelings; I know, at least, it's hard to deny those motivations. Everyone's scared of everyone else, so wants to make sure that somewhere they're on top. This is, of course, a little harder when you're a 15-year-old single mother, or a shelf-stacker at Tescos.
I think it's too late to *start* worrying - it is already used widely as a descriptor with negative undertones.
It is also important to note the difference between Can be elite and Will be elite. Pretenders galore and those who renounce their claims for one reason or another.
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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.
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On the other hand, there _are_ people who are more intelligent, richer, luckier, prettier - call it what you will. And they will be envied and they will tend to find peers of a similar social standing and that's how our world works nowadays.
I'm not sure anyone ever lets anything but jealousy, fear and hatred define their feelings; I know, at least, it's hard to deny those motivations. Everyone's scared of everyone else, so wants to make sure that somewhere they're on top. This is, of course, a little harder when you're a 15-year-old single mother, or a shelf-stacker at Tescos.
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It is also important to note the difference between Can be elite and Will be elite. Pretenders galore and those who renounce their claims for one reason or another.