Elitism

[Casanova[OCAU]]

Originally Posted by Winter

If you have the money and you want the best for your children then why not give them the best they can? If you have the money then your probably have some intelligence and them being your kids surely you would pass some of that on to them.

mm see that all sounds well and dandy. But get this. I go to one of the best universities in the world. Now I'm not telling you guys this because it improves my e-wang or anything (ok maybe a little cuz of that).. Anyway, a large proportion of the kids that make it here have come from schools where they are spoon fed absolutly every little detail, and exam technique. Thier parents paid $70000 to $100000 a year so that thier kid can get this education. You contrast that with the minority who come from public schools, which are either free or cost under $1000 a year, there's obviously a massive drop in quality. I sit here wondering if these people really didnt extort thier way into this supposedly 'elite' educational institution because people just can't be that stupid here.

Many a time, I've seen really smart kids who have lost thier way, because being intelligent isnt seen as a 'desirable aspect' at the year7-9 ages to be cool. Give these kids a proper atmosphere where intelligence is valued, and over a couple of generations, we would be a lot further than we are now. It's all well and fine the parents want the best for thier kids. But intelligence should be given an oppertunity at a young age too, when it's really all in the parents' hands, to get a decent education.

Originally Posted by Merlin

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I like your analysis. These people are shortsighted and lack clarity in the bigger picture. At the end of the day, the desire to be acknowledged is one of the strongest driving forces. I have to admit that there was a time when I was strongly driven by the desire to be acknowledged, and this has come about due to a variety of factors, such as me moving seven schools in the last six years and having constantly to prove myself and just my general competitivness in everything.

But with age and experience, you gain maturity, and realise that really, as you have pointed out, there are more permenant sources of happiness that come from within, not from without.

[Merlin]

There's also a difference between wanting the best for your family and being elite. Wanting the best for your family is striving to be better than what you are. That's admirable. Elitism is not. Elitism implies that you believe you are better than others, not that you are striving to become better. Thats a difference which Winter still cannot grasp. Most people strive to make their lives better or make improvements, thats human nature. So why would human nature, something that we all have, be the same thing as Elitism, which is something that describes fewer than the whole? That defies basic logic.

What you are describing is not Elitism, Winter, but self-improvement. The minute you start bragging about how great your life is and how everyone else's life sucks ass in comparison to you, tha we will never be as good as you and will forever live in infamy to your greatness, you can officially label that Elitist. Superiority and Elitism are tied together.

[Angantyr]

Merlin only those who you have viewed, the idea that the more you get the more you want is flawed with the fact that when you get what you want it does not include all the aspects of it. I have seen the odd few who have had everything they could want and they were quite happy and everybody hates them for it which is true ignorance. In fact I feel it is the ones who do not have everything are responsible for forcing any misery on them, I often see people get over something they did and there is always some tosser who feels the need to drag them down to there level, no offense but you are somewhat doing it yourself in this thread. The problem I feel is you need not worry about the people who are doing their own thing, jealousy will get the best of you if you chose to feel this way.

The wider picture is out there for anybody who wants to view it, like with my music I have experienced as much music as I can and come to my own conclusion which is the best. Elitism is based on going for the best and how can you get to the best without having a wider view of everything?

The education system these days I feel is quite pathetic, though it does kind of even out as all the people who get spoon fed often do not get very far cause they are not used to working and those who work hard reap the rewards in the end.

[Casanova[OCAU]]

Yea but if these people have everything they want, and they would be happy, were it not for the pettyness of the people around, they clearly dont have everything they want. A supportive social group is also something people want. If they hang around petty people, there is something that can be better.

[Merlin]

You're still contradicting yourself. One can have an open mind without being elite. Being elite doesn't mean you have an open mind either. If you truly have an open mind, you wouldn't even consider yourself elite. One with an open mind acknowledges that while some qualities might be superior, one individual overall is no better than any other individual. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Not only that, one with an open mind is willing to listen to ideas ways of thinking that are contrary to his or her own core beliefs. That has nothing directly to do with elitism. And really, if you realize that you aren't the best, are you elite? I think not. You might be striving to become elite, but you are not elite.