Quote Originally Posted by Ralph2449 View Post
That is my main point really, I am not saying that pandering to X elitist idea/mentality/system Ff14 will instantly turn into WoW, that won’t happen overnight, but when such ideas are accepted and embraced through time it will turn into a toxic elitist mess.
thankfully it seems the devs also understand that and have WoW show them what happens when you focus on high end at the expense of everything else so I do feel safer but that doesn’t mean I ll be complacent and trust that will remain so forever hence vigilance is important.

So when I notice an elitist mentality/argument, like the ones only us ‘elites’ deserve’ good rewards and they shouldn’t be accessible to others I will absolutely fight against it because tolerating such elitist ideas is a slippery slope that will turn the game toxic after a while and like the community has proven, the best way to stop elitism is to stop it early from growing deep roots no matter how much they complain about the invented toxic casualism to look like the victims.
While I can certainly understand the sentiment, you do seem to be getting a bit too caught up in your own furor to go after the elitists... and at the moment, it seems you're being more counterproductive to your own efforts rather than furthering them.

And believe me, I've been exactly where you are right now. You've had far too many elitist jerks to deal with over the years, so you're eager to pounce at the slightest hint of elitism in self-righteous fury. Trying to do the right thing, but how you're going about it is just not helping the situation.

The one thing to remember about elitists is that they require validation, attention and acknowledgement of their perceived superiority; almost by definition. After all, how can one be "elite" is no one else cares? Direct criticism only serves to reinforce this, as in their mind, it's acknowledging their strength and they will twist any argument into an attack or attempt to steal what they jealously guard.

Deny them the validation they crave... which I'll admit is easier said than done, especially in the heat of the moment.

I don't think ignoring them is the best approach, but negating their egos might be. Downplay their attempts at grandstanding. Don't try to minimize their accomplishments, as they could perceive that as an attack and will twist it to their own ends; just gently chide them for letting it go to their heads. On the other side of the spectrum, try things like downplaying your own successes and placing more emphasis on the successes of the group. Be the anti-thesis to elitist behaviour. I'm still working out the kinks of the theory here of how to properly deal with it, but that should give you an idea.

But yes, don't get caught up in your own furor. Elitists crave validation, and unfortunately raging at them is giving them exactly what they want.