When I was small my mother asked me if I thought of some people as better (in terms of intelligence, etc.) than others - if I thought there was an 'elite'. I said yes, naturally I thought so. She reacted with horror, asking me where I 'drew the line'. "What line?" I asked. I guess I was just too young for us to be talking in the same terms, too naive to understand the political implications which she was attaching to my simple argument. I didn't draw lines, and I still don't. I don't perceive people in two groups, one being worthy of respect and the other not. I don't make my quality assessments of people on a single issue basis either; two people may each be better than the other in different ways. But to pretend that everyone is equal (as opposed to everyone being deserving of an equal chance) just seems like foolishness.
As I grew older I quickly learned that it is usually political suicide to express views which can be labelled as elitist. We extol the virtues of freedom of speech throughout Western society, yet immense pressure can nevertheless be applied against unfashionable views, at the expense of intellectual and philosophical development. The politically correct hatred of elitism would seem intensely advantageous to established authorities, the very people and organisations against whom liberals and the left are ordinarily engaged in railing - it keeps the left busy, preoccupied with an ogre of little real political relevance. Dragged into increasingly petty conflicts regarding the self-worth and positive assertion of the individual, one can lose sight of the bigger picture, of the economic inequalities which are at the root of most instances of group-based discrimination.
Since reaching adulthood, I have never been short on friends, but it seems that the greatest barrier between myself and successful social contact with other people is that I am often perceived as arrogant or unpleasantly comfortable with myself. This problem seems particularly acute among women, probably due to social factors such as many women being taught to be meek as they grow up. While working in a shop once I was taken aside by the fiftysomething woman who managed the deli counter; she expressed her concern for me, telling me that 'the other girls' didn't like me - they thought I looked down on them because I was about to go to university. This, she said, made her angry, because from her perspective they were looking down on me - they were the ones creating a barrier between us. Other women have told me on occasion that they like me but don't really feel comfortable hanging around with me because it makes them feel unhappy about themselves - my company makes them feel unintelligent, unattractive or socially inadequate, even when they know that that's not how I feel about them. [1] I do feel that this is a ridiculous situation. Trying to make myself appear less capable than I am is foreign to my nature - I don't have that whole feminine inadequacy thing - it would seem just as ugly a lie to me as pretending to be more capable. Either way it's just so much bullshit getting in the way of the practical business of life. I find it hard to understand why it matters so much to people, why we can't just be real with each other.
I do find that kind of thing to be less of a problem among other goths. Goths, in general, are a people among whom intelligence, and similar traits, are valued and appreciated - where it is good to strive to excel, and such behaviour is not considered antisocial. But then, goths themselves are often considered to be arrogant en masse. I have often felt great anger and frustration on hearing the stories of people whose social background was such that despite obvious intelligence they were discouraged or directly prevented from accessing higher education or the type of white collar jobs of which they might well have been capable - where they were insulted with terms like "clever clogs" and "know it all" used really nastily - where they were basically told that it was disgusting and unreasonable of them to want to use their natural talents, because this implied they thought they were better than those around them. Some social groups do far more than ruling classes ever could to keep themselves down, to ensure that they never rise above their 'place'. In this case the accusation of elitism, and the hatred of elitism as a concept, are used to brutalise those whose abilities might otherwise advantage everyone.
It seems to me that it is only by recognising the differences in people's abilities that we can succeed in providing for all of them. Since UK television received its new Channel Five a few years ago, there has been a great deal of criticism and anger about the 'dumbed down' nature of its programmes. Personally, I have been extremely impressed by its news broadcasts, partly because they have covered international stories which the other channels haven't touched, but mostly because of the number of people I have seen watching them who never watched the news before, who never read newspapers with any current affairs content, who were 'not interested in politics'. The different style in which Channel Five presents the news has made it accessible to a section of the public who were formerly excluded; it has resulted in the populace being better informed, which has to be a good thing for any democracy. Meanwhile, however, I have seen a dramatic downturn in the quality of programmes - most especially news and current affairs programmes, and documentaries - broadcast by the other terrestrial channels. If there is a dangerous dumbing down going on, that is where it is happening. It is a good thing if less educated and less astute people are provided for; it is a bad thing if more educated and more astute people cease to be provided for. There is ample room within broadcasting to cater for both extremes, and for all those in between.
This dumbing down in television is indicative of a wider trend. It is the worst aspect of majority rule, the reduction of everything to the lowest common denominator. Instead of being encouraged to develop their talents, people are reassured that it's wonderful for them to be just the way they are, and that their tastes and creative abilities and opinions are just as valid as anyone else's. I do believe that anyone's effort is equally valid, but surely we have to make some qualitative distinctions between the results. This is particularly vital when it comes to opinion - people need to become aware that an opinion founded on research, study and contemplation is worth more than one learned and recited by rote, received from an assumed authority.
Last updated 13th May, 2005