# Elitism that you (ashamedly) participate in. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232 "2010-04-24T18:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/21 "2010-04-25T16:10:45Z")
For me it’s generic/store brands. Even though I know that some of them are just as good as name brands, I won’t buy them. I’ll buy generic meds (that’s just being thrifty), but not generic food. Buying generic food brands mean you’re cheap and you don’t care what your food tastes like. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/22 "2010-04-25T16:24:37Z")
At the latest Dashboard Confessional concert I was behind a group of fratboys who were yelling and pushing around (and since it was at the back end of the standing room pit they pushed me against the wall a few times when they bounced.) I thought they were only there with their girlfriends. But it turns out they knew every word to the songs. For a second or two I thought to myself “I’m SO over Dashboard now that these assholes like it!” ---
**Author:** ![banjoDavid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@banjoDavid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/banjoDavid)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/23 "2010-04-25T16:40:42Z")
> [@Chakra Nadmara](#): > > mp3s at 320kbps and v0 VBR are nearly indistinguishable from lossless audio, so either you guys are listening to 128kbps garbage or you’re fooling yourselves. NEARLY indistinguishable is not good enough. When it can sound better, it matters to me that it does. Hearing what “nearly indistinguishable from lossless audio” does to recordings that I craft in the studio with care bugs me. I have always thought that audiophiles who argue that vinyl sounds better are off the mark. It DOES sound different, though. This whole thread IS about elitism, right? ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/24 "2010-04-25T17:38:01Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Beer. > > I refuse to drink anything made by Anheuser-Busch. And it’s not just because I think their beers taste like crap. Even if AB made a decent beer, I still would not drink it. It probably has something to do with fact that AB is such a huge company, and I would prefer to support smaller brewers. > > So I am quite snobby when it comes to beer. I love microbrews. The more obscure the brewery, the better. This. Really, I’m a food and drink snob in general (except wine snob–I haven’t had the time to get into that). I eat almost all organic, my beef is local and grassfed, my latest quest is to find humanely-raised pigs who aren’t fed a diet involving corn or soy. I can tell the difference between different types of salt. My favorite time of year is farmer’s market season. I know all the best local restaurants, from dives to white-tablecloth…and I know all the ones that people _think_ are good but really aren’t. I cooked almost all of the baby’s food myself. I am very, very specific about my chef’s knives and kitchen tools. The list goes on and on, but if it involves food, chances are I do it better than you. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/25 "2010-04-25T18:30:56Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > For me it’s metal music. I never grew out of the (admittedly stupid) feeling that my tastes in metal are better/more obscure than the next guys. I’ve been this way since I was an early teen and, since I never grew out of metal, I never grew out of that mentality. I’m the same way, except my music of choice is progressive rock, and I never grew out of the feeling that my tastes in **music** are better than the next guy’s. Prog rock fans can be exceptionally snobbish, and I really try not to be that way. But it can be so hard not to look down my nose at you little people and your pop music… 😃 > [@](#): > > I can’t explain WHY being one of 3 dudes listening to some group is “elite” because, frankly, it’s not, but as soon as a band really takes off I start to move on to the next thing. It’s dumb and there’s no reason for it other than “I’m too cool”. Dunno. By 34 you’d think I’d be over that. I really hope that a lot of my favorite bands never hit it big (not that there’s much danger of that). It’s always an awesome experience to meet someone with similar tastes, compare notes, turn them on to some cool bands, and be turned on in return. It’s almost like being a member of some secret club. Many times in the past, there have been bands (not prog rock) I was into that suddenly became huge, such as Whitesnake and Guns 'N Roses. What used to be “my little secret” was now shared by everyone, and I felt “robbed” of the opportunity to share them with others. And I also felt like when I claimed to have been a fan of the band way back when, people wouldn’t believe me, they’d think I was just jumping on the bandwagon. So, I moved on. Stupid, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/26 "2010-04-25T19:02:41Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > This. Really, I’m a food and drink snob in general (except wine snob–I haven’t had the time to get into that). I eat almost all organic, my beef is local and grassfed, my latest quest is to find humanely-raised pigs who aren’t fed a diet involving corn or soy. I can tell the difference between different types of salt. My favorite time of year is farmer’s market season. I know all the best local restaurants, from dives to white-tablecloth…and I know all the ones that people _think_ are good but really aren’t. I cooked almost all of the baby’s food myself. I am very, very specific about my chef’s knives and kitchen tools. The list goes on and on, but if it involves food, chances are I do it better than you. Me too, but I’m savvy enough to know what I can buy store brand. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/27 "2010-04-25T19:05:05Z")
Art. Visual art, specifically. I hate art put out by people with BFAs. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/28 "2010-04-25T19:27:22Z")
I’m a little bit of a liquor snob. Which is funny, because I’m by no means a beer, wine or food snob. I’ll happily have McDonald’s and wash it down with a Bud Light, and I’ll go to an expensive restaurant and enjoy it with a $75 dollar bottle of wine. I draw the line at cheap liquor though; I’ll usually order beer or wine if the liquors behind the bar are Bacardi, Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam white, Smirnoff vodka or Jose Cuervo gold. Oddly, I can hack most mid-range or inexpensive gins, at least in mixed drinks. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/29 "2010-04-25T19:31:27Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > For me it’s generic/store brands. Even though I know that some of them are just as good as name brands, I won’t buy them. Many store brands are not only “just as good,” but are literally the _very same products_ in different boxes. Many name brands can’t sell enough of their products under the name brand and for the premium price to keep their production line going all the time, so it’s more profitable for them to sell what they can under the brand and then let various stores take the rest at a discount. Of course, if you’re talking food, the “elitist” position is probably to avoid buying boxed processed products entirely, branded or generic. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HISSNLISSN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed8c4c/32.png) [@HISSNLISSN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HISSNLISSN)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/30 "2010-04-25T19:45:43Z")
I’m a meta-elitist; elitist about elitism. A lot of what’s passing for elitism in this thread is actually rather pedestrian. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/31 "2010-04-25T22:02:16Z")
All your keyboards are crap and you’re killing your hands slamming your fingers into $2 worth of plastic, rubber and glue every day. This is not elitism, it’s the truth. Also; electronic music was way better in the 80s when people had to make do with one or two synths and a crappy drum machine. I know it’s irrational (if only because I love Raymond Scott), but that’s what I think. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/32 "2010-04-25T22:29:07Z")
They stopped publishing literature after the Great War. There’s been some ok genre fiction, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![HISSNLISSN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed8c4c/32.png) [@HISSNLISSN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HISSNLISSN)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/33 "2010-04-25T22:35:57Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > All your keyboards are crap and you’re killing your hands slamming your fingers into $2 worth of plastic, rubber and glue every day. This is not elitism, it’s the truth. > > Also; electronic music was way better in the 80s when people had to make do with one or two synths and a crappy drum machine. I know it’s irrational (if only because I love Raymond Scott), but that’s what I think. One or two synths? [http://zero1blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/klaus-schulze4.jpg](http://zero1blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/klaus-schulze4.jpg) > **[OKTA388 - Partner Resmi Mobile Gaming Online Paling Berkelas](https://electrorash.com/)** > > Okta388 merupakan partner resmi mobile gaming yang bekerja sama dengan server internasional serta memiliki ratusan jenis permainan berkelas dan kualitas grafis HD. (Agreed re: computer keyboards.) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/34 "2010-04-25T22:39:45Z")
If you need a computer to find stuff in the sky with a telescope your a dweeb. Oh, and if you need a GPS to figure out where you are or where you are going, you should never leave your neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/35 "2010-04-26T15:25:19Z")
I don’t shop at Wal-Mart unless there really is no other way to get something I need or really, really want. With very few exceptions, I do not watch reality shows. I avoid large chain restaurants, unless I’m taking my parents out to eat, or I’m in a strange town and can’t find anything else. > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Beer. > > I refuse to drink anything made by Anheuser-Busch. And it’s not just because I think their beers taste like crap. Even if AB made a decent beer, I still would not drink it. It probably has something to do with fact that AB is such a huge company, and I would prefer to support smaller brewers. > > So I am quite snobby when it comes to beer. I love microbrews. The more obscure the brewery, the better. Same here. I won’t drink flavored wines, a la Arbor Mist. No wine coolers for me, either. > [@billfish678](#): > > If you need a computer to find stuff in the sky with a telescope your a dweeb. Have you actually found something in the sky with a telescope? It’s harder than most people think it is. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/36 "2010-04-26T15:44:02Z")
Perfume. I will save up for months to buy a real perfume I love, than spend a lesser amount on something cheap n’ fruity. And I will not give one red cent to any company hawking “celebrity” perfume. It’s sheer greed - Let celebrities buy their drugs, implants, and botox with their millions of dollars movie salaries. (Seriously - Britney Spears “Circus” perfume? That insults circuses!)…which leads to movies - I do have a few guilty pleasures regarding crap movies, but I will not go to a movie theater and pay actual cash to watch a rom-com or frat boy fart fest. (Because I read reviews ahead of time and know what to expect.) I’m sorry, I overwhelmingly prefer good classic movies. I haven’t got that much time left in my life! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/37 "2010-04-26T15:45:53Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Have you actually found something in the sky with a telescope? It’s harder than most people think it is. Bahh, back in my day telescopes only had one axis, it wasnt even motorized, and even the damn rotation rate of the earth was erractic. You young whipper snappers have it easy. Even the great Virgo cluster didnt intimdate me and my decent sized dob. So, a very much yes (literally thousands of things, though mostly faint and fuzzy). Though I do agree that for the inexperienced it can be a trial. Of course, if you don’t know what you are doing, setting up that computer controlled telescope aint exactly easy either. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/38 "2010-04-26T15:46:08Z")
> [@banjoDavid](#): > > NEARLY indistinguishable is not good enough. > When it can sound better, it matters to me that it does. > Hearing what “nearly indistinguishable from lossless audio” does to recordings that I craft in the studio with care bugs me. > > I have always thought that audiophiles who argue that vinyl sounds better are off the mark. It DOES sound different, though. > > This whole thread IS about elitism, right? I’d rather record on one inch tape than anything, although being able to edit is a plus. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/39 "2010-04-26T15:49:08Z")
I like that I make most of our stuff from scratch and look down on people who regularly give their kids convenience foods like frozen chicken nuggets, canned foods (like ravioli and other Chef Boyardi products) and lunchables. It doesn’t affect me at all, so I should just tamp down those thoughts. Plus, even though my kid has never had McDonald’s or food from another traditional fast-food chain, it’s not like he hasn’t had food that’s probably just as bad for him (possibly worse) at a regular restaurant. I hate the coffee at work. I think it’s swill and will only drink it if I’m desperate for caffeine. Same for desserts - I prefer to eat only those sweets I’ve made myself. Part of it is a diet thing - it makes it that much harder for me to get dessert if I’ve got to make it myself. But part of it is that I think the stuff I make tastes better. I’m snooty about a lot of food. I also like that we have a small TV that doesn’t dominate an entire wall of our family room and look down on one of our friends who has this ridiculously large television that takes up most of their family room and then some. Of course, this is subject to change since my husband got a significant raise. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232/40 "2010-04-26T16:34:28Z")
Kid’s bicycles. I remember as a kid having the only decent bike on the block. And it was a basic Shwinn Scrambler. The rest of the kids got their bikes from Kmart (Kent of Huffy) and they were the biggest pieces of trash. If I rode a friend’s bike it felt like everything was out of alignment. So my son turns 4 next month and my wife is ready to go to Target and get him a department store special for $60. Snobby elitist me says “hell no” and he ends up with a Specialized with training wheels for $180. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elitism-that-you-ashamedly-participate-in/537232.md?page=3)