I have come across my fair share of elitists during my years in college, ranging from those who refuse to date anyone who did not attend an Ivy League university to those who turn every conversation into an opportunity to brag about their “very impressive” SAT score.
Nonetheless, I have come to understand that no matter how obnoxious or condescending they might sound, all humans by nature yearn for respect and affirmation from others. From this perspective, it is just an overt way to maintain one’s self-esteem.
Recently, the topic of elitism has forcefully resurfaced in Taiwan’s public consciousness.
Due to a comment interpreted as having belittled former Hsinchu mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) for attending Chung Hua University’s night school, Taiwan People’s Party Hsinchu mayoral candidate Ann Kao (高虹安) has been accused by many of being elitist.
These accusations have gained a lot of traction in the news media, as well as online. No matter what Kao’s intentions were when she made the comment, she is now vehemently distancing herself from being perceived as elitist.
The hysterical outpouring of condemnation surrounding Kao’s remark not only reflects a universal distaste for snobbish behavior, it reveals genuine grievances about educational credentialism.
Sociologist Johan Galtung describes educational credentialism, or “degreeocracy,” as “an ascriptive system in the sense that once one is allocated to a group it is very difficult to change one’s social class. It is like being born into a class, only that in a degreeocracy social birth takes place later than biological birth.”
Taiwan’s education system is assumed to operate under a meritocratic principle that educational opportunities are available to everyone regardless of class background — advancing within the system depends solely on one’s hard work and intellect. Upon closer inspection, this is a gross simplification.
Socioeconomic background is a statistically significant factor in influencing educational outcomes. Middle and upper class families are more likely to have the means to afford additional educational resources such as private tutors or cram schools for their children, while lower class families are more likely to need their children to work part-time jobs.
Nonetheless, these complexities are often ignored to feed the illusion of equality, which strengthens the system of degreeocracy. Furthermore, many members of the upper and middle classes, coming from privileged educational backgrounds, often place inflated emphasis on educational credentials as an implicit means to preserve social standing and reinforce artificial social barriers between those deemed educated and those deemed not.
Degreeocracy has created a hypercompetitive educational environment that often forces students to focus solely on preparing for examinations instead of exploring potential passions.
Although the government has started to implement more holistic approaches to university admissions, most students still have to apply based on their examination results.
The most destructive aspect of degreeocracy is the toxic reductionist attitude of judging an individual’s character based solely on the school they attended.
It is painfully apparent that some people are unable to prove their self-worth to Taiwan if they did not attend a prestigious institution during their 20s.
Even graduating from a national university’s night school is often looked down upon by traditional college graduates. This has to change.
Not everyone is provided with sufficient resources or opportunities to focus on academics in the early decades of their lives. We should actively encourage those who seek to better themselves later in life. The attainment of knowledge should not be exclusionary.
As for those self-righteous people who resort to belittling Kao’s educational credentials with their “superior” credentials, they are part of the same problem.
To those who feel the need to preserve their fragile egos by putting down others, get off your high horse and grow up.
Linus Chiou studies physics and history at the University of Virginia.
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