Letter: Disappearing elites
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: David Mellor's promise to 'tackle elitism in the arts' (report, 3 September) is disturbing when seen in the light of Milan Kundera's discussion of the term:
The word 'elitism' only appeared in France in 1967, the word 'elitist' not until 1968. For the first time in history, the very language threw a glare of negativity, even of mistrust, on the notion of elite.
Official propaganda in the Communist countries began to pummel elitism and elitists at that same time. It used the terms to designate not captains of industry or famous athletes or politicians but only the cultural elite: philosophers, writers, professors, historians, figures in film and the theatre.
An amazing synchronism. It seems that in the whole of Europe the cultural elite is yielding to other elites. Over there, to the elite of the police apparatus. Here, to the elite of the mass media apparatus. No one will ever accuse these new elites of elitism. Thus the word 'elitism' will soon be forgotten]
Yours sincerely,
ANDREW BRIGHTON
Canterbury
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments