We be elite? Really?

What does it mean to be elite?

It merely means to be the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.

What then does elitism mean?

It merely means practice of or belief in rule by an elite or consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.

Then why all this debate about elitist behaviour in students in top -schools?

This article surveys the feelings of the pupils in our country and it turns out, students in top-schools, not students in non-elite schools, are the ones most concerned with elitist behaviours.

This article also shows how people of our society who have gotten the meaning of elitism or elitist behaviour totally wrong.

I disagree with those that habour such kinds of elitist behaviour or elitism. In students, this mostly means that one comes from a good school and does well in their academic studies. It is true that they can be considered the creme de la creme of our society.

However, this elitist behaviour serves to prove only one thing, that they are proud and lack the modesty that a good individual should have. They also forget what others have done to help them get to the positions that they are in now.

What difference does it make if one is elite now? Does it ensure that he or she will definitely make it big in the future?

I beg to differ. Although I feel that being in top-schools gives one an advantage, if one has such pride in himself or herself, then this advantage will not give them any headstart in life. I feel that if pride is within a person, he or she will not think that they need to perform to their best in order to succeed. This might not be so, but if so, these so-called elite now will only become mediocre in the future. What elitism is this then?

I believe in one achieving only when one does his or her best. The elitist behaviour will only seek to make one believe that one does not have to do their best in order to succeed. I feel that elitism at its best will only cause one to fail, never to succeed.

I guess that what I am trying to say is that elitism is not caused by wealth, education, success, schools, academic results and so on. Elitism is only a status that one gives to oneself. As with self-bestowed titles, it can only lead to no good.

I might be a bit biased in my opinion. However, I think that elitism is not prevalent in the top-schools of Singapore. It is only through the perception of the people of the society that we appear to be elitist. This might be due to our attitude towards others. In order for this not to occur, I feel that we have to change ourselves and in the process change what others think of us.