The Poverty Law Blog (moderated by AU law professor, Ezra Rosser) posted a couple of interesting links on elitism.
The first is a Slate feature on explanations for the deep economic divide in the US.
The second called Elite Colleges or Colleges for the Elite? is a NY Times op-ed on higher education legacy admissions.
The numbers really speak for themselves.
The term "elitism" is a tricky one in this context, because we often use the term "elite" to describe a group that is superior in some way, esp. intellectually. I defy anyone to show that the wealthiest and most powerful segment of USAns are intellectually superior, esp. given the grotesque clumsiness with which they have been looting the economy recently, showing that they only understand their own self-interest in the most narrow perspective.
ReplyDeleteOf course, all terms are loaded with historical overtones in this area of discussion, but I would lean towards inequality or privilege as more useful terms.
Elitism is useful in that it implies an attitude of arrogance, but the key problems, in my opinion, are not problems of attitude, but problems of power.