| Nearly every niche in society has elitist points of view. Any kind of social group will point out wannabes, poseurs, and people who just don't get whatever it is that they believe in. I started to ponder this point after a conversation with friends in which they took a totally elitist stance on certain issues, and then I realized that elitism is necessary to mental health. Existentialists such as Sartre promoted the belief that a person defines himself by what he isn't in addition to what he is, a concept of Self and Other. By taking the elitist stance, elevating Self over the Other, you are displaying high self-esteem and are less likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors such as suicide. |
