In Defense of Elitism

Great book. Love it and will re-read it when I get another copy

Still (mostly) relevant after fifteen years, this book doesn't hesitate to take a politically incorrect take on education, religion, feminism, and much more. Some of what he said I found hard to swallow, but other times I found myself nodding eagerly. It's definitely worth being exposed to this side of the argument. I know I found my inner elitist on certain issues, and I embrace...more

Still (mostly) relevant after fifteen years, this book doesn't hesitate to take a politically incorrect take on education, religion, feminism, and much more. Some of what he said I found hard to swallow, but other times I found myself nodding eagerly. It's definitely worth being exposed to this side of the argument. I know I found my inner elitist on certain issues, and I embrace it unapologetically.   hide

Interesting read...some of it is junk, but it certianly makes you think

Excellent.

Amazing insight into all the bad aspects of western democratic egalitarianism.

A book that every "progressive" should read. The author makes the distinction between classic liberalism and radical egalitarianism.

Not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.

I can't say enough about this book. It is fantastically correct and frighteningly true. It is the most politically incorrect book I've ever read but has points that are dead on. The basic point that this book rails against is the fact that America is changing from a country where everyone has an equal chance, an equal opportunity, to a country where everyone feels entitled to an equal outcome....more

I can't say enough about this book. It is fantastically correct and frighteningly true. It is the most politically incorrect book I've ever read but has points that are dead on. The basic point that this book rails against is the fact that America is changing from a country where everyone has an equal chance, an equal opportunity, to a country where everyone feels entitled to an equal outcome. Liberals are trying to establish an egalitarian society where everyone has equal outcomes. To me, this sounds like they're trying to turn America into a socialist, or worse, communist, society. Its nice to think that everyone is as smart as everyone else or has as much to contribute as everyone else, but the fact of the matter is they don't. Not everyone should or needs to go to college. Not everyone should be paid the same no matter what they do. The people that strive to be better should be rewarded when they achieve and not when they fail. What all the pro-egalitarian people fail to see is that by giving everyone the same outcome in life they will destroy the drive that made America what it is. Without some reward there is no incentive to try, to be creative, or to drive someone to achieve. Why try so much harder if you will only be looked at as good as every other person? This book points out the downfall of education as standards are lowered to let more people pass instead of challenging them to do better. More and more community colleges and universities are formed and give out degrees to people that really don't deserve them or that haven't done the same amount of work as at other schools. A college degree is becoming less and less of an achievement as standards are lowered and as more and more people get them. This book calls out all the people that claim they are entitled to certain benefits or breaks based solely on their race, class, or gender because the alternative is to actually work at something. They point to the past when they were held back and put down, and this book does not dispute this or make excuses for it, but it does point out that most of these hurdles have been passed and should not be used as crutches anymore. This book says people should be judged on what they can and have done. On the surface this book does sound mean and harsh, but once you think about it the truth is there and if America continues down this path it will be no surprise that we will fall behind other countries in academics and achievements because we will have defeated ourselves.   hide

Some great arguments but often drones on like an ivy leaguer's mein kampf