On Elitism

What an elite (supposedly) is?

Wiki says: ''a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes (...) whose views and / or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole, or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern.''

So far, so good. Trained, educated, clever and even charismatic people. We all could use some. Sounds just fine. As long as their wits and skills are constructive to society as a whole.

The problem with elites is that they tend to be elitist. 

Being educated in a private institution (sounds like a madhouse, but a school is what I mean), I reckon I know a few things about this strange behavioural pattern. I know it from both sides, that is. Either belonging to a social group or being excluded from one. And this either / or, is equally interesting. Mainly, it is translated into, either inclusion, or exclusion. 

People may argue that, OK, it's rather uncomfortable to be excluded from a social group (the why is even worse, because it contains lack of something and hits directly the core of insecurity, something you do not want at a tender school age, when personalities are formed -or disformed).

But, OK with exclusion, why is it so bad to be included in a social group?

The answer, in my opinion, is, because it leads to elitism.

I will explain. 

Elitism is something like a cult, a belief, and furthermore, an attitude of inclusion. It doesn't have to do with forbidding people to enter the circle, as much, as retaining the formation ''within our own kind''. It has to do with superiority. Intellectual superiority, resourcefulness, specialization, and so on - and even wealth- are fine attributes. Everyone would agree with the necessity of a skilled leader, a resourceful manager or an intelligent mentor. As long as their wits and skills are constructive to society as a whole.

But, if elitism is about inclusion, then...

What happens when all this educated, wealthy and resourceful lot gathers together?

They are the best at what they do, and they are keeping what they do within themselves...this sounds like power.

Their power allows them to assist each other, whether by means or information...this sounds like special privileges.

Their special privileges will have to be sustained, not among themselves (since they all want similar privileges), but at the expense of others, i.e. people outside their ''circle''...this sounds like discrimination, or even abuse.

Inclusion works in the sense of protecting your own kind. When your own kind is powerful, privileged, discriminative and abusive, the outcome is a nasty combination.

I realise I am not saying anything new here. This process occurs since the dawn of mankind and organized society. It's just that I recently directed the mirror to myself, and elitism covered a great part of the reflection. Intellectual superiority, arrogance, discrimination, haughtiness, and so on. Nasty things, indeed, when one realises that their whole life has been a constructed attitude to include one's kind, to protect oneself within their own kind and consequently, to shut oneself inside. Feels like fear to me.

Fear again, then!

What could elitist behaviour be afraid of? What are these misguided elites afraid of? They possess the ''weapons''. They are well organized within their comfort zones. What could they possibly be afraid of, then?

Is it the fear of admitting that they will have to abandon their special privileges, if they allow (or force) themselves to be constructive to society as a whole?

Is it the fear of admitting their failure of belonging into the real world?

Is it the fear of admitting that they are part of the real world, i.e. that they are common people themselves?

Or is it simply the desire to maintain greed and their atomistic behaviour, i.e. possess negative, and rather common human characteristics?

Or simply, is elitism nothing but a fearful reaction against the painful realisation of the ordinary?