Somebody once called me a polymath and I was enormously flattered. First, of course, by the fact they called me that, but secondly that I was called that by somebody who even knew what it meant.
Am I an elitist? Sure. Proud to be. In addition my style is condescending and obnoxious, yet I do it with intent. I have met far too many people with loftier résumés than I (I worked on a Loading Dock and as a Clerk in a Convenience Store, that’s what you call service sector Blue Collar credentials) who knew far less about their supposed fields of expertise than I do (or I can quickly look up, nobody’s that good).
And I know a lot about a lot of things making me a Geek rather than a Nerd (will I bite the heads off live chickens for your amusement? I’m not above that.). Bet the Farm on Final Jeopardy? Well, I’m under a Court Order now.
But as Popeye says, “I yam what I yam and that’s all what I yam.”
Pretentious and vain I may be but I don’t do it maliciously, I view myself primarily as an educator.
So, elite? In some senses yes, but in others decidedly not. I have the social graces of privilege but not the money. I only punch up and out, not down (well, unless you’re being really stupid and then I have no mercy). I certainly think that many who claim the label of ‘elite’ are morons lucky by happy accident to find themselves in positions they can appeal to authority from. I never claim anything except that you can replicate my results.
It’s one thing to be called an asshole, everybody’s got one. It’s a whole other thing to be one.