Response to Stephanie Carone (11/18/09)

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

Elite, now that is a word that is heard on a daily basis in regards to the best at whatever he/she does better than another individual in a certain subject or domain. I agree with you that the word "elite" does have a negative connotation however the word also has a positive connotation. Now why would describing someone as "elite" come with a negative connotation? In general when describing someone as "elite" is more of a complement towards that individual in which he/she demonstrates mastery in a certain domain (field). For an example Tom Brady is an elite quarterback in the National Football League and likewise Bill Gates is an elite businessman. More or less describing someone as elite can also just be stating the obvious fact. But I think that your question involved personally describing yourself as elite can carry a negative connotation. Well it most likely can in which anyone could boast that they are elite and if they were, the statement better be 100% true. However in today's society everyone is always competing to be the best at everything, to become number one at whatever their mind is set to. Personally I have experienced this type of situation in which many of my classmates in a specific class shoot not only for an A, but the best numerical grade in the class. Even though I could get an A grade with a 94 numerical grade and one of my competitive classmates receives and A with a 98 numerical grade, that person assumes that he/she is better because the higher grade was obtained, even though we both walked away with an A in the course. But the point I am leading to in this example is that many individuals want to have the word "elite" attached to their description when they are mentioned. I also agree that many assume that one is snobby and rude just because they describe themselves as an elite whatever. Truly people of an elite status lose their ability to become humble, thus having to boast about their successes to self-pleasure. If you ask yourself, why do snobby people become snobby, an answer can be due to wealth (monetary net worth)and successes whether financially, athletically, or academically. While on the other spectrum, "elite" can have a positive connotation but there are few instances that I can think of. One would be to confirm that you are elite but that belief is kept to yourself, in which nobody knows about any successes that would make an individual elite. In this situation you stay extremely humble and grateful about yourself without showing any of the physical or verbal signs that you possess elitism. But again being elite is a trait that an individual earns thus NOT GIVEN. In your instance that you gave in which your non-honors friends concluded that honors students are already elite and that honors students also get to wear special tassels and ribbons sounds like a form of jealously. But the fact remains is that your friends, like everyone else at the college all has the opportunity to become an honors student via earning a 3.4 Cum. GPA, completing a minimal single class a year or completing six honors classes to receive the special tassels and ribbons, and just plain out working extremely hard on a daily basis. Many people lack the dedication that honors students possess and honestly people that I have met at MCLA and my last school are in college because their parents made them attend or they just want to party 24/7. In general the title of being "elite" is deserving and anyone who obtains this title should be proud about themselves.