This is a good thoughtful look at the use and misuse of the term "elitism." It touches on the heart of democracy and the psychology of victimization, while eruditely defending the word from the pandering propaganda of partisans.

Fun article. Like all humor, it really hits the mark. The Age of Dumbing Down America has made things so much easier, giving us anti-intellectualism, anti-original thinking, bumper-sticker logic–and thanks to right wingers–cute onomatopoeia phrasing that substitutes knee-jerk reaction for judgment.

This is an opinion piece, but it is reasoned and fair.

It would probably be a good idea to get a dictionary before writing a story on the use of a word.

The biggest fault line that influences this article is gender. Regardless if you are a man or a female whatever gender will have a skewed view of the other. Generation also comes into play as maturity level grows and relationships, specifically marital ones become more serious. Men and women, all over the world and from all walks of life encounter friendships with the opposite sex. Your class and location probably have little effect on how you view friendships. This article highlighted the influences age and gender might have on the discussion of cross-gender friendships, and concluded that the more we are comfortable and willing to participate in cross-gender friendships the more beneficial the outcome for both parties involved.