The NRA recently criticized somebody they disapprove of as elitist. I have observed that when American right-wingers use the word elitist, what they mean is intelligent. Gregory, the "elitist" mentioned above, is not a member of any elite that I am familiar with.
Rupert Murdoch is elite. The rich have real power that is secure, awesome in its scope, and long-lasting, with few checks upon their many privileges.
Autocratic world leaders might be called members of the elite, although in republics, a leader might be regarded as a high-level worker and not much more than that, as his position is insecure and limited by checks and balances.
Intelligent people compose a different kind of elite, one that exists purely as an abstract idea, if we imagine humankind to be arbitrarily divided into groups based upon their I.Q. scores. I.Q. scores are a contentious issue today, and not many people are willing to accept their infallibility, but perhaps this remains a touchy issue for right-wingers with personal overtones. In reality, intelligent people are hardly united, but span the spectrum on political issues. They do tend to understand the meaning of words, however.
Unfortunately for the world of Man, intellect does not translate into power as much as one might wish. This is obvious from a survey of senators, representatives and MPs. When I look at the senators that represent my red state, I would not expect any of them to feel the slightest motivation to solve any problems, although they are good hands at creating new ones. They are most of them motivated by the desire for power and money. They didn't go into politics because of their intellect or capability to solve problems, but merely for personal gain.
To be sure, intellect enjoys a tangential relationship with power, because an idiot could hardly hold on to power without being dethroned by a rival. To remain rich, a rich man has to be able to choose the right accountants, the right lawyers. But no one could seriously make the case that Rupert Murdoch is anywhere in the ballpark of Albert Einstein or any other genius for that matter.
I do find it amusing that right-wingers are so concerned with portraying intelligence as something arrogant, when in reality, people with money are the real elite in this world.
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