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snob

snob

(OP)
What is the etymology of snob ?

RE: snob

From http://www.etymonline.com/

Quote (SNOB):

1781, "a shoemaker, a shoemaker's apprentice," of unknown origin. It came to be used in Cambridge University slang c.1796 for "townsman, local merchant," and by 1831 it was being used for "person of the ordinary or lower classes." Meaning "person who vulgarly apes his social superiors" arose 1843, popularized 1848 by William Thackeray's "Book of Snobs." The meaning later broadened to include those who insist on their gentility, in addition to those who merely aspire to it, and by 1911 had its main modern sense of "one who despises those considered inferior in rank, attainment, or taste."

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
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RE: snob

The analysis reminds me of Arthur Miller's definition of a tragic figure as anyone who insists on a just evaluation of himself, and whose pursuit of justice, or recognition, or fame achieves exactly the opposite end (Tragedy and the Common Man).

There is a book, Class, author Korda, I believe, who says that the only class really concerned about appearing more genteel than it is, is the middle class.  They insist that mansion dwellers not mistake them for trailer dwellers.  The mansion and trailer dwellers could not care less.

William

RE: snob

Don't judge the book by my twenty-years removed and necessarily summary description of it.

William

RE: snob

(OP)

1781 seems too modern. Could it be the result of muddling the latin expression "sine nobilitatis" ? See
also:

RE: snob

FalsePrecision--

jeez I hate straw man arguments.

Hardly any single statement about a class as a whole (and by describing yourself as a middle-classer you do acknowledge the existence of such a class), except for the very definition of said class, will apply universally to all its members.

The statement rings true for me, except that I think it might be the other middle-classers rather than the upper-classers that the middle-classers are trying to convince.  Those at the very top and the very bottom don't have to worry about what other people think.  Some do anyway.  Those in the middle may not have to worry either, but they're more likely to think they do.  It's an insecurity thing; if you're completely secure or have nothing to lose, there's nothing to be insecure about.

Within each class there are similar subdivisions--look at "nouveau riche" vs. old money.  The Old Money attitude, reputedly, is that if you have to *try* to appear a certain way, you've failed.  

Hg

RE: snob

HgTX,

Nicely put.

William

RE: snob


The Straw Man Fallacy

Etymology:
"Straw man" is one of the best-named fallacies, because it is memorable and vividly illustrates the nature of the fallacy. Imagine a fight in which one of the combatants sets up a man of straw, attacks it, then proclaims victory. All the while, the real opponent stands by untouched.

Quote-Unquote:
"When your opponent sets up a straw man, set it on fire and kick the cinders around the stage. Don't worry about losing the Strawperson-American community vote." (James Lileks)

Exposition:
Judging from my experience, Straw Man is one of the commonest of fallacies. It is endemic in public debates on politics, ethics, and religion.

The Straw Man is a type of Red Herring because the arguer is attempting to refute his opponent's position, and in the context is required to do so, but instead attacks a position—the "straw man"—not held by his opponent. In a Straw Man argument, the arguer argues to a conclusion that denies the "straw man" he has set up, but misses the target. There may be nothing wrong with the argument presented by the arguer when it is taken out of context, that is, it may be a perfectly good argument against the straw man. It is only because the burden of proof is on the arguer to argue against the opponent's position that a Straw Man fallacy is committed. So, the fallacy is not simply the argument, but the entire situation of the argument occurring in such a context.


Source: http://www.fallacyfiles.org/strawman.html

RE: snob

Furthermore, FP's accusation of "have to make up false concepts to sell your book" is especially IRONIC when you consider he used a "Strawman Fallacy" to create it.

I learn all sorts of things on this site.

(It's all in fun, False Precision...)

RE: snob

You can find the straw man and many other logical fallacies with a Google search on "logical fallacies".

Poor people can be snobs, too.  There is a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when impoverished inventor Caractacus Potts suggests to candy heiress Truly Scrumptious that she shouldn't really have anything to do with him because she is above him.  She gets angry and says, "If I said that you'd call me a snob!"

Pride and hubris are universal.

William

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