18 November 2009

elitism

The “distinguished members of the art world” seems a little elitist of Danto, but it makes sense. Such people have earned their elitism and are deserving of the title.

Is elitism a bad thing, or does it just have a bad connotation? I feel as if the honor society is a elite group full of students who strive to do their best for four years here at the College. Of course, my non-honor student friends think it's a little elite that we get our own study house, and special tassles and ribbons for graduation, but don't we deserve it? They could've joined this elite group too if they wanted.

I believe that being "elite" is just striving to be the best, and achieving it, whether in sports, school, or the "art world". Being elite isn't a bad thing, as long as snobbishness or an air of distasteful arrogance doesn't follow.

Why does being "elite" have negative connotations? Is believing you are "elite" snobby and rude? or is it deserving?

1 comment:

David K. Braden-Johnson said...

"Elite" sometimes denotes merely the recognition of a relatively rare degree of accomplishment, as in the sentence, "Tiger Woods numbers among golf's elite players." And to be accomplished doesn't necessarily entail snobbishness or other antisocial inclinations.