Elitism Quotes

• The time has come to move beyond eco-elitism to eco-populism. Ecopopulism. To change our laws and culture, the green movement justice, political solutions and social change.

  Van Jones

  Moving, Law, Justice

  The Nation, Volume 287, 2008.

  25 Copy quote

  Show source

• By denying people's sense of visual beauty in painting and sculpture , melody in music , meter and rhyme in poetry , plot and narrative and character in fiction , the elite arts wrote off the vast majority of their audience . They purposely excluded people who approach art in part for pleasure and edification in favour of social one-upmanship and an ever-narrowing, in-crowd elite.

  Steven Pinker

  Art, Character, People

  19 Copy quote

• I think art has a right — not an obligation — to be difficult if it wishes. And, since people generally go on from this to talk about elitism versus democracy, I would add that genuinely difficult art is truly democratic.

  Geoffrey Hill

  Art, Thinking, People

  "Geoffrey Hill, The Art of Poetry No. 80". Interview with Carl Phillips, www.theparisreview.org. Spring 2000.

  16 Copy quote

  Show source

• Free verse seemed democratic because it offered freedom of access to writers. And those who disdained free verse would always be open to accusations of elitism, mandarinism. Open form was like common ground on which all might graze their cattle - it was not to be closed in by usurping landlords.

  James Fenton

  Might, Common, Accusation

  "Negative images" by James Fenton, www.theguardian.com. November 15, 2002.

  17 Copy quote

  Show source

• Everybody keeps calling for Excellence - excellence not just in schooling, throughout society. But as soon as somebody or something stands out as Excellent, the other shout goes up: "Elitism!" And whatever produced that thing, whoever praises that result, is promptly put down. "Standing out" is undemocratic.

  Jacques Barzun

  Excellence, Calling, Praise

  "Begin Here: The Forgotten Conditions of Teaching and Learning" by Jacques Barzun, ("Schooling No Mystery"), 1991.

  17 Copy quote

  Show source

• Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean that they want to be successful comedians. And those are always an elite, microscopic portion of the population. But oh, how they try.

  Dick Cavett

  Mean, Successful, Comedian

  "Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be". opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com. August 15, 2008.

  16 Copy quote

  Show source

• And it's a - it's a term that's based on contempt; it's a term that's based on fashion, style, elitism, satanism, and, everything that's rotten about rock 'n' roll.

  Iggy Pop

  Fashion, Rocks, Style

  "When you hear what Iggy Pop told CBC in 1977, it's no wonder he's still rocking today" by Leah Collins, www.cbc.ca. March 11, 2016.

  56 Copy quote

  Show source

• Vote to stand tall against terrorists ; receive Social Security privatization . Vote to strike a blow against elitism; receive a social order in which wealth is more concentrated than ever before in our lifetimes , in which workers have been stripped of power and CEOs are rewarded in a manner beyond imagining.

  Thomas Frank

  Blow, Order, Vote

  Thomas Frank (2007). “What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America”, p.7, Macmillan

  16 Copy quote

  Show source

• Of course, there's a certain type of person who feels that anything which becomes mainstream has to be rejected immediately. And that's part of the indie-alternative snobbery and hierarchy and elitism.

  Alex Kapranos

  Alternatives, Hierarchy, Mainstream

  "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

  17 Copy quote

  Show source

• There’s something strange about theater. My characters consistently demonize elitism, but of course it’s taking place in a theater where only so many people can see it. I’ve been in silly popcorn movies - the kind of thing that as an actor you might feel embarrassed about - but those movies reach many more people.

  Jesse Eisenberg

  Silly, Character, People

  "Some Actors Work Both Sides of a Script". Interview with Jason Zinoman, www.nytimes.com. September 23, 2011.

  16 Copy quote

  Show source

• Elitism is the slur directed at merit by mediocrity.

  Sydney J. Harris

  Acceptance, Mediocrity, Merit

  Sydney J. Harris (1985). “Pieces of Eight Pa”, Mariner Books

  14 Copy quote

  Show source

• I don't believe in elitism. I don't think the audience is this dumb person lower than me. I am the audience.

  Quentin Tarantino

  Stupid, Believe, Thinking

  "The Two Hollywoods; The Man Who Changed Everything". Interview with Lynn Hirschberg, www.nytimes.com. November 16, 1997.

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• There are people in government who don't want other people to know what they know. It's just another example of elitism. And I spit on elitism. Show me an elitist, and I'll show you a loser.

  Tom Clancy

  Memorable, Loser, Show Me

  "Vonnegut and Clancy on Technology". Interview with Sarah Schafer, www.inc.com. December 15, 1995.

  91 Copy quote

  Show source

• Chinks in America's egalitarian armor are not hard to find. Democracy is the fig leaf of elitism.

  Florence King

  Women, Egalitarianism, America

  Florence King (1990). “Reflections In A Jaundiced Eye”, p.97, Macmillan

  8 Copy quote

  Show source

• Democracy is the fig leaf of elitism.

  Florence King

  Democracy, Leafs, Figs

  Florence King (1990). “Reflections In A Jaundiced Eye”, p.97, Macmillan

  19 Copy quote

  Show source

• Americans worship creativity the way they worship physical beauty - as a way of enjoying elitism without guilt: God did it.

  Florence King

  Creativity, Ideas, Innovation

  Florence King (1990). “Reflections In A Jaundiced Eye”, p.98, Macmillan

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• We know longer live in a homogenous society, it is not black, white, Asian or Latin, it is a melting pot. Until we learn to assimilate and learn about other cultures, we will continue to have racism problems. Of course, there are other '-isms' as our ills. We have sexism, ageism, elitism, homophobia-ism, there are many -isms we have to overcome.

  Octavia Spencer

  Latin, Other Cultures, White

  Source: www.hollywoodchicago.com

  7 Copy quote

  Show source

• Being slim is the new elitism. Thinness today says that you are richer, smarter and more successful than the overweight masses.

  David Zinczenko

  Successful, Today, Slim

  "NOTICED; Men Who Step Up to the Scale and Crow" by David Colman, www.nytimes.com. September 8, 2002.

  7 Copy quote

  Show source

• Lists are anti-democratic, discriminatory, elitist, and sometimes the print is too small.

  David Ives

  Lists, Sometimes, Democratic

  83 Copy quote

• There's a certain elitism that has crept into the attitudes of some in journalism, and it played out perfectly over the issue of these little [American flag] lapel pins.

  Brit Hume

  Attitude, Issues, Flags

  "Extended Interview: Brit Hume". "PBS NewsHour" with Terence Smith, www.pbs.org. January 31, 2002.

  8 Copy quote

  Show source

• We must be careful to avoid spiritual elitism. Everything we are and anything we possess as believers in Christ is a gift of grace. Pure hearts before God must be cleansed from any hint of spiritual pride.

  Beth Moore

  Spiritual, Heart, Pride

  Beth Moore (2010). “Paul: 90 Days on His Journey of Faith”, p.63, B&H Publishing Group

  16 Copy quote

  Show source

• Wordsmiths who serve established power...castrate the public imagination by subjecting language to a complexity which renders it private. Elitism is always their aim.

  John Ralston Saul

  Imagination, Language, Aim

  6 Copy quote

• Although you might have to creep about at night and lie to your mum it’s actually one of the more honest art forms available. There is no elitism or hype, it exhibits on the best walls a town has to offer and nobody is put off by the price of admission.

  Banksy

  Art, Wall, Lying

  6 Copy quote

• From the elitism of luxury to the democracy of beauty.

  Giorgio Armani

  Luxury, Democracy

  9 Copy quote

• Frankly, liberals are out of the habit of communicating with anyone outside their own in cohort. We have a cultural problem with self-righteousness and elitism.

  Naomi Wolf

  Self, Problem, Habit

  "NEWS & POLITICS Naomi Wolf Thinks the Tea Parties Help Fight Fascism -- Is She Onto Something or in Fantasy Land?". Interview with Justine Sharrock, www.alternet.org. March 29, 2010.

  4 Copy quote

  Show source