On Elitism and Obama

elite /I'li:t, ei-/ ~ 1 (prec. by the) the best or choice part of a larger body or group.  2  a class or group of persons possessing wealth, power, prestige, etc. (the ruling elite) adj of belonging to an elite.

That's how the Oxford Canadian Dictionary defines "elite", a word that has become synonymous with "a quality you would never, ever want in an American president".  For the record, politics are not my thing.  I have neither the time nor the inclination to argue about them, or to push my loosely-informed opinions on people I don't know very well. Words, however, are my thing.  I am fascinated by how easily they can be twisted, re-defined, and used out of context so frequently that their meanings literally shift while the vast majority go oblivious to the seismic transmutations that are occurring at the epi-centre of American culture. In France, they have the Academie Francaise, a pre-eminent learned body that acts as the authority on matters pertaining to the usages, vocabulary, and grammar of the French language.  In English, there is no equivalent; nor, in my opinion, should there necessarily be one.  The Academie's presence demonstrates the extent to which the French people view language as an integral part of their culture.  It is something that is self-consciously contemplated not only in France but also here in Canada, where the French Canadian population makes a concerted effort to pass legislation in order to preserve their language, and, by association, their culture.

I don't know this for a fact, but it's hard to imagine a word being thrown around as readily in a culture that honours the sanctity of language as "elite" and "elitism" are in American politics. From following the current American election, I have come to the conclusion that being an elitist can now mean any or all of the following:

 - Anyone who has achieved the "American Dream" by pursuing educational endeavours and being successful as a result.   Or for that matter, who admits they enjoy learning in any capacity, and/or makes no attempt to disguise their intelligence.

 - Anyone who lives in a major urban centre, or along one of the two major seaboards.

 - Anyone who pronounces the "g" at the end of words like "being".

- Anyone who drinks lattes, or enjoys a sprig of arugula in their mid-day salad

- Anyone who does not boisterously express their love of America by doing things like loudly chanting U-S-A and wearing flag pins.

 - Anyone who is "out of touch" with the "Average American" - something that in turn seems to be defined as one who goes bowling, shops at Walmart for their guns, and does not value education.

Is Barack Obama an "elitist" by its official definition?  Of course he is.  As a senator and presidential candidate he certainly belongs to the ruling class, possessing vast quantities of wealth, power, and prestige (hmmm...sounds a lot like another presidential candidate we've heard so much about).  Perhaps the republicans should pay closer attention to the first part of elite's definition before so readily labeling Obama: "the best or choice part of a larger body or group".  But why should they when they seem to have been so successful in re-defining the word?

For his part, Obama does his best to prove that he is not elite by its evolved definition, thereby upholding the new understanding of the word, and conceding that it is negative despite all appearances to the contrary.  By participating in things like bowling, altering his speech so as to play down the pronunciation of g's and t's, and wordlessly conceding that wearing a flag pin is perhaps the best indication of one's love for America, he consistently finds himself playing defense, and thus round-aboutly admitting that everything associated with intellectual culture is essentially "elite" and inherently negative.  

I'm no political scientist, but I often wonder what would happen if Obama straight out admitted that his education and intelligence are good things.  George Bush came from a wealthy, traditionally elite background, yet does not act elite by its new definition.  Can anyone really say Bush was in touch with the average Joe sixpack in any respects other than those that are entirely superficial?  Look at the mess the country is in after eight years of his policies.  Obama is almost the exact opposite:  he came from very humble beginnings, yet is now considered to be among the elite by all known definitions.  Why wouldn't you want someone who has a proven record of intelligence ruling your country?  If one person enjoys Bud Light and another Pinot Grigio, does that necessarily mean they are entirely unable to relate to one another on any level?  These are the kinds of things Obama could point out.  Instead of trying to prove that he's not elite by appealing to his background, perhaps he would do better to point out the positive aspects of who he is now, and why the combination of his newly acquired elitism and working class beginnings could perhaps yield the perfect sort of leader.

It's probably too late for him to do so this at this point, less than a month before the big election.  Education, arugula, and proper pronunciation of words already have too bad of a wrap to be re-defined so quickly, even in the ever-malleable English language.  Yet I continue to be amazed by the superficiality of it all.