Defining Elitism
Let's look at 10 characteristics of what elitism is about.
Back when Chris Arnade released his book "Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America," he talked about what he saw as the real divide in this country: the difference between the front row and the back row.
The front row were the types who tended to be defined by their careers and education, while the back row tended to be defined by their community.
Last week, I talked about what Hotep Jesus described as The Woke Right, individuals who are a mirror image of The Woke Left (leftists). I mentioned that it got me thinking about the elite act and what defines them.
The more I thought about it, the more I believe there may be a distinction between elites and elitism. Elites would be the front row types Arnade once talked about, those defined by their careers and education. Elitism, on the other hand, is a driving force behind such movements as being woke.
How would one describe elitism, though? There are 10 characteristics I would use to describe elitism.
1. Being condescending.
Think about the ways some people talk down to others. How many ask you if you'd rather have less immigration or cheaper groceries? How many want you to choose between ending foreign aid or letting your enemies attack you? What about those who says if you want to fight inflation, don't ask for a raise?
Any sort of talk that involves scolding or shaming, rather than listening to concerns and thinking about what one might be missing, is a sure sign of elitism in action.
2. Rules for thee, not for me.
We often hear about those who get a "slap on the wrist" and sometimes think it's your average criminal who has engaged in shoplifting or vandalism. While there is some truth to that, more often, the ones who get the "slap on the wrist" tend to be those who have the resources and connections to fight a case, rather than those who lack them.
There's also statements like "no one is above the law" which get tossed around by certain people, when said people may very well be engaging in questionable, if not illegal, practices.
And did someone mention those who shamed people for not wearing a mask or social distancing during COVID, only to turn around and not follow those practices when they got together for outings? Any practice in which rules are set by those in charge, but then ignored by those in charge, is another sign of elitism.
3. Tell others to take agency but won't take agency themselves.
Arnade talked about this in his book "Dignity," in which those in charge will set policies, then said policies will have a negative impact on people who had no say in the policies, but those in charge will tell said people it's their fault.
Anyone who doesn't consider how a policy choice might negatively impact people who don't get a say, or may even be unaware of a policy, is a prime example of elitism.
4. Talking up credentials to win an argument.
It's one thing to tell people what you do for a living, where you live and where you attended school. It's another thing to use those aspects in an attempt to shut down a conversation or score points.
Elitism involves using credentials and expertise to try to advance an argument and act as if one is infallible or if the other person can't possibly know something.
5. Always top down, never bottom up.
This ties into the "statist" point that Hotep Jesus brought up in his arguments about The Woke Right. Elitism is all about the top-down mindset and utilizing it to push policy goals.
Bottom up might involve some regulation, but nowhere near as much as top down. When you practice a bottom-up approach, you understand that trial and error will come into play. Top-down approaches, though, want "efficiency" as a primary goal, but to achieve efficiency, it often means more regulation.
6. If you attack me, you attack this.
There are two ways to look at this. One way is the Dr. Anthony Fauci approach, in which he criticized those who questioned his methods. This led to the "if you attack me, you attack science" talking point that was used to try to shut down questioning.
Another way is the "ism" and "phobia" mindset, in which people say that only those who actually study such things or a part of the group can be allowed to define what an "ism" or "phobia" is. If you question anything, you are merely exhibiting that "ism" or "phobia."
(Note: Those who are willing to have a conversation about science or willing to consider new information about an "ism" or "phobia" are not engaging in elitism. I will now say that you are welcome to raise your own points, as there may be something I didn't consider.)
7. Language policing.
It seems that every time we turn around, there a new definition for a word, a new way to describe something, how we shouldn't use this term but that term for an individual, and on it goes. And if anybody steps out of line, we must take them down.
Elitism always involves defining terms as the person sees fit, then changing them if there's ever a chance that somebody might abuse the term in the future.
8. They're invested in the culture war.
Here's another aspect that ties into what Hotep Jesus talked about. The Woke Right and The Woke Left are immersed in the culture war above all else.
Elitism may concern itself with economics, immigration, monetary policy and foreign policy to some degree, but it's mostly about how to declare "there's nothing to see here." But when it comes to the culture war, elitism is always looking for something to complain about.
9. They are interventionists who won't fight the battles themselves.
Some people who favor interventionist foreign policy are willing to take up arms to do so, but many are not. They'd rather sit back and enjoy the spoils, all while shaming anybody who dares to suggest that peace is better than war.
If one practices elitism, one will always tell other people to go fight the wars for them. They are the types that, if their nation was invaded, they'd flee or hide rather than try to hold off the invaders.
10. They lack any ties to a community.
Arnade described the front row as people who had no issues with moving from one city to another if it allowed them to advance in their careers. To them, concepts like hometown and neighborhood don't hold meaning.
It explains why those who practice elitism will seldom take the time to understand the view that many in the back row have about their cities and towns: "This is my home." They don't place value on where they live, but see it as just another stop along the way.
Now that I've described what I see as elitism, some of you may be asking what can be done about it. I don't have a grand plan for how to take elitism down because I doubt it can ever be eliminated.
But I can say there are five things one can do to avoid falling into the elitism trap.
* Take as much time to listen as you do to lecture.
* Ask yourself what you may be missing before being convinced of something.
* If you implement a policy, it's a good idea to evaluate it after a few months to see how well it actually worked.
* It's OK to say to somebody "did you consider this" but don't scold them about it.
* Remember that nobody gets it right all the time and, if you do get it right, don't brag about it.