Why I Decided to Become an Elitist

[Skivvy]

The only negative connotations I see in your text are the examples in which the word is used in. I see no sign that elitism is bad in the core definitions themselves - we as people associate it with a negative connotation because we've been influenced to think that way (elite = bad and everyone should be equal and all that).

Dictionary authors aren't unbiased.

Fair enough with the descriptions But for the record, I do NOT think being elite is bad. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being the best at what you do. Being an elitist (per my idea of the word), is horrible.

I would say that in a gaming community, it is widely accepted that elitist is used in a negative way. Perhaps it is my own personal bias, but in my 10+ years of MMOs, I have never once heard that term used in a positive way until this thread.

I do think this thread could have gone a different way if more accurate terms were used (as well as cutting out all the embellishments and strawmen), but alas, here we are.

[Izsha]

Fair enough with the descriptions But for the record, I do NOT think being elite is bad. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being the best at what you do. Being an elitist (per my idea of the word), is horrible.

I would say that in a gaming community, it is widely accepted that elitist is used in a negative way. Perhaps it is my own personal bias, but in my 10+ years of MMOs, I have never once heard that term used in a positive way until this thread.

I do think this thread could have gone a different way if more accurate terms were used (as well as cutting out all the embellishments and strawmen), but alas, here we are.

But that is the crux of the issue. People are associating their negative definitions of elitists and applying it to the elite. You see it every day on these forums and in game. Just being good at the game frequently gains the ire of lots of people just for existing. Just read any of Kosmos' posts for the last few months.

People constantly lump the elite (people who play at a high level) with the 'elitist attitude' (being a jerk).

Add in that we (the elite) are scapegoats for every imaginable problem faced by those less successful in game. I am somehow the reason Joe casual hasn't beaten t9 because I as an elite player (or vet or whatever) don't spend my time after work joining his learning party. If we hint that someone could make an adjustment to improve we are lashed out at because we're telling people how to play, or my personal favorite, the weird attempt to shame us for trying. "Its just a game bruh! I have a REAL LIFE so I don't have time to learn your dumb nolife 'rotations' or 'mechanics'." As if being terrible is a badge if honor. Cracks me up every time. Oh and let's not forget about the link to rmt because we make it so impossible to progress that we force everyone to buy clears from....you guessed it, an elitist clear seller.

Sorry joe casual. I spent months practicing t9 before echo. Multiple hrs 2 to 3 days a week for MONTHS. I'm not oozing with sympathy because you cued solo in df 5 times and came crying to the forums with echo and 20 more ilvl in gear. Nor do I owe you anything. I've put my time in. I am not a terrible excuse for a human because I don't join you t9 prz HALP pf.

We are successful because we DON'T blame others for our failures. Instead of looking for excuses, look for solutions. The longer anyone blames their version of The Man for their failure, the longer you stay a failure. Take control if your situation instead of making excuses.

There are lots of elite players that are sick and tired of being labeled as the devil to all that is good and holy in an mmo. The OP described that. That's why it has so many likes and "I agree with op" posts. Being good (elite) has ZERO coorelation with being a jerk (negative connotation of elitist the Internet has chosen).

I don't remember the tracks star in high school being shunned and hated for being a dick by everyone slower just because they were good at something. But here on the internet, our success is apparently a direct attack on others who aren't as successful. I still blame the everyone gets a participation ribbon generation, but that's for another time.

[Kedemonos]

Char limit

Yes, character limit is very strong.

[Kuroyasha]

That goodness

Be my friend Izsha \^_^/ lol. Stuff u said so true.

[Cadmar]

snip

Have my little Lala babies please.

Someone earlier tried (and failed) to summarize this thread. Anyone that wants a breakdown of what has gone on for these 50 pages should read this as frankly, it makes more sense than what the original OP was trying to say.

/salute

[PandaPause]

Truth.

Have my little Lala babies please.

Someone earlier tried (and failed) to summarize this thread. Anyone that wants a breakdown of what has gone on for these 50 pages should read this as frankly, it makes more sense than what the original OP was trying to say.

/salute

Seconded, Izsha's post is the best response in the 50 pages of this thread.

[Tiggy]

...

This 100% summarizes my feelings in a concise way. Thank you Izsha. I really don't think I could have said it any better.

[Skivvy]

But that is the crux of the issue. People are associating their negative definitions of elitists and applying it to the elite. You see it every day on these forums and in game. Just being good at the game frequently gains the ire of lots of people just for existing. Just read any of Kosmos' posts for the last few months.

People constantly lump the elite (people who play at a high level) with the 'elitist attitude' (being a jerk). Add in that we (the elite) are scapegoats for every imaginable problem faced by those less successful in game. I am somehow the reason Joe casual hasn't beaten t9 because I as an elite player (or vet or whatever) don't spend my time after work joining his learning party. If we hint that someone could make an adjustment to improve we are lashed out at because we're telling people how to play, or my personal favorite, the weird attempt to shame us for trying. "Its just a game bruh! I have a REAL LIFE so I don't have time to learn your dumb nolife 'rotations' or 'mechanics'." Oh and let's not forget about the link to rmt because we make it so impossible to progress that we force everyone to buy clears from....you guessed it, an elitist clear seller.

Sorry joe casual. I spent months practicing t9 before echo. Multiple hrs 2 to 3 days a week for MONTHS. I'm not oozing with sympathy because you cued solo in df 5 times and came crying to the forums with echo and 20 more ilvl in gear. Nor do I owe you anything. I've put my time in. I am not a terrible excuse for a human because I don't join you t9 prz HALP df.

There are lots of elite players that are sick and tired of being labeled as the devil to all that is good and holy in an mmo. The OP described that. That's why it has so many likes and "I agree with op" posts. Being good (elite) has ZERO coorelation with being a jerk (negative connotation of elitist the Internet has chosen).

I don't remember the tracks star in high school being shunned and hated for being a dick by everyone slower just because they were good at something. But here on the internet, our success is apparently a direct attack on others who aren't as successful. I still blame the everyone gets a participation ribbon generation, but that's for another time.

I would agree with you that plenty of well-meaning people get told off when trying to offer tips, or get yelled at when someone who is clearly not fit joins their very specific PF group, and probably a multitude of other situations where things can be taken the wrong way. On the flip side of that, there are plenty of skilled players who will yell at random people in DF for not doing a speed run (or not doing something to their liking), drop party after a single wipe, berate people when they can't keep up with mechanics on Titan extreme because "it's so easy that 'I an even typing this post while fighitng!'" and a plethora of other things here as well.

This thread has suffered from crazy exaggerations on how the "other side" really is. My issue with the OP is that they pretty much implied that the greater player base is a bunch of scrubs that have no respect for those with more skill, and that they have no true desire to better themselves and strive for greater things. They simply want things handed to them and will cry and accuse others of holding them back and label them elitists when they refuse to lend a hand. Are there players like that? Of course! But the OP drones on and on as if this is a constant behavior for all players around them, and it reads like some over-dramatized speech that was only typed to try and rally the masses. I don't need a sob story depicting how difficult it is for them. It can be unpleasant on the other side too.


I suppose my point would be there are jackasses on both sides of the spectrum. There are plenty of people who don't know how to play with other people, those who bring unreasonable expectations to the game, those with entitlement issues, but despite what some people may think, those traits are not solely claimed by the "less-experienced" crowd. The OP seems to think that everyone is against the elite players, and it is simply not true.

[StoneRosetta]

nice

Well put, completely agreed.

[Anna_Lannis]

I don't remember the tracks star in high school being shunned and hated for being a dick by everyone slower just because they were good at something. But here on the internet, our success is apparently a direct attack on others who aren't as successful. I still blame the everyone gets a participation ribbon generation, but that's for another time.

This is the good way to make a point the OP was claiming to make. No one should be hated because they are good at something. A person who is TRULY good at something doesn't need to come off as a condescending preach. Good players just play; that's why we don't see anyone from The Order of Blue Gartr coming on here and making "you noobs suck" threads like this.