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Isaac Chambers's picture

Elitism is the belief or

Elitism is the belief or attitude that those individuals who are considered members of the elite — a select group of people with outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most weight; whose views and/or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole; or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern.

You're argument is essentially that those people that constitute the elite — who posses outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — should have superior behavior to others. Judgment values on behavior are highly connected with justifying whose opinions are the most important, and who should be part of the "ruling class." Think of the terms "civilized" versus "savage."

Regardless, I never said that humans had "no control over their behavior." What I said was that biology is the driving force in behavior. Humans naturally adapt to "socially acceptable" behavior as a means of "survival." Humans have a more developed brain than other animals and therefore have more deviation from their "natural" behavior. Mothers are able to identify their babies by scent. Is this really a function of our intellect? Likewise, a mother's protection of her young, even at her own peril, can hardly be classified as "intellectual decision." Can you really say you have always been able to control your emotions and your behaviors? Have you ever felt burdened and stressed from homework? Have you ever been disappointed and embarrassed by a bad test grade? Have you ever been filled with irrational an inconsolable rage, if only for a moment?

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