Margo Jefferson Quotes

I try to not be or associate with elitists.

It is, of course, the first recourse of every elitist to see social barbarism in others.

Is class snobbery a social reality in the United States? Absolutely, and the kind that's codified by meritocracy is probably more toxic than the old-fashioned kind based on bloodlines.

All the people I know have been conditioned by snobbery.

... more snobbish than their English butlers.

Inverted snobbery is just as dangerous as snobbery itself, you know - that pride in having nothing.

Self-criticism is an art not many are qualified to practice.

When you're at your best, you're analyzing yourself and becoming increasingly isolated from a broader narrative.

You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it. “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly.

I come from an Irish working-class background but went to a posh school, and any type of pretension was quickly mocked at home. I've always had a keen eye for pretension.

Class still matters in Britain today.

It is impossible, in our condition of Society, not to be sometimes a Snob.

I'm a tough critic on myself.

Maybe I'm an elitist, but I don't feel like I am.

There'll always be that prep in me that I can't seem to get rid of.

I'm my worst critic, and I like the fact that I can listen to myself now and make fun of myself, listen, make changes - 'Oh, man, that's messed up. Okay, I need to work on that; I need to work on this.'

The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.

As I look back now I can see that I was a perfect little aristocrat.

Every society naturally divides itself into classes. The author of nature has bestowed on some greater capacities than on others--birth, education, talents and wealth, create distinctions among men as visible and of as much influence as titles, stars and garters. In every society, men of this class will command a superior degree of respect--and if the government is so constituted as to admit but few to exercise the powers of it, it will, according to the natural course of things, be in their hands.

The House of Commons is full of fat and pompous plutocrats…Public schools are cradles of sickening snobbery.

The typical white intellectual considers himself superior to ordinary white people for two contradictory reasons: a) he constantly proclaims belief in human equality, but they don't ; b) he has a high IQ, but they don't.

Doesn't make any difference who we are or what we are, there's always somebody to look down on.

I don't enjoy hearing myself talk.

I try not to be super self-referential about my work because it becomes like navel gazing at a certain point.

We never see the fancy schools with the blazers and ties in films about Africa! But, in fact, we too have class and elitism.