I was having this discussion with a friend. She has very high end taste in lots of things (finishes/furnishings in homes, handbags, clothing). IMO, she has good taste. I certainly like the things she likes.
I used to be more into, “stuff,” than I am now. I’m not quite a minimalist, but I am definitely less into things than I used to be. As one example, I am not into home decor or seasonal decor stuff at this point in my life. Those things are important to her - they aren’t to me.
In particular, we talked about handbags. How she would never carry a cheap handbag but that she doesn’t care if other people do. Then wrote, “I just never would.”
We got into what the definition of a snob is. She said I was a snob about “stuff,” (because I have started leaning toward minimalism). The definition she sent was: “a person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.”
I told her that I don’t think what I think about how much “stuff” one chooses to have is superior - that it is just my preference to have less. But my preferences might not be right for others. I don’t think not understanding each other’s priorities makes either one of us snobs for that matter.
The definition I found was, “One who has an OFFENSIVE AIR of superiority in matters of knowledge or taste.” I think this is why the word might be hard to define. I try not to act offensive or superior, though I am sure I sometimes do. But those will always be determined by the party on the receiving end of my opinions and shared thoughts about priorities. Which, by the way, I try not to share unless asked. I suppose one can have an “offensive air” without saying a word???
What is a snob? Are there certain things you are snobby about?
Great question! This is definitely a psychological question where everybody will have a different answer. I definitely do not think that you are being a snob in the situation above. Just because you do not overly like decor and are not as materialistic as others does not make you a snob. In fact, she was being a bit of a snob by calling you a snob. A snob, in my book, is a person who tries to forcible impress opinion, ideals, beliefs on another person through arrogant, cocky, offensive, derogatory, stuck up facial expressions, actions, or dialogue. I stress, being less materialistic does not make you a snob unless you said or did something that could come across as arrogant, cocky, or offensive. For example:
-Not a snob: I don’t like decor
-Snob: I don’t understand why people waste money on decor. What a silly fad!
Expressing your opinions does not make you a snob but being arrogant and/or cocky does.
As for me, I bet there are many times I have been inadvertently snobby through miscommunication. I do know a classmate who was such a snob because he lived in a “mansion” (more of a McMansion but whatever). He was very passive-aggressive about it. We lived in the same neighborhood before he moved. Although he would not come out and say my house sucked, he would say: “Oh, I live in ya da da da. The house is like - dollars. Our old house was so bad. It was so cheap and small. Oh, wait, you live in that neighborhood right? Oops!”
Great definition but what do you mean by judgmental? We are all opinionated and judgmental. It really comes down to how we express our own opinions and how we treat other peoples opinions. Like I am judgmental when I say I like Prime more than Netflix but when I say Netflix is trash and all flix watchers are time-wasters, then I become a snob…
This is a great question and I’m looking forward to seeing others’ opinions.
I am a book snob and try to only read books that I deem worthy. Beach reads are not for me. I am a snob about maple syrup. I never see a reason to buy fake syrup. I’d rather have jam than fake stuff. I’m a snob about Mexican food. I hate Mexican restaurants that serve up a plate filled with refried beans and gooey melted cheese. Yuck. I make my own Mexican food at home and it’s very good. I always have a bag of masa flour, a jar of mole, and canned chipotle chilis on hand.
I’m betting there’s a great Mexican cook out there in CC land who is scoffing at my jar of mole and canned chilis.
A snob is one who thinks he/she is better than other people and lets others know that is how she/he feels.
I’m probably a ‘knowledge’ snob. I was walking with a friend down a country road and was asked ‘what is that growing in the field’. It was wheat! I was astonished that this person didn’t know what wheat looked like. But I didn’t let her know my astonishment. Just an example.
I feel the same when I use what I think are simple words but have to explain them. Then I feel bad for using vocabulary that just pops out of my mouth because those words are normal usage for me.
I make my own mole thank you. I also make my own tortillas (corn and flour). My pantry has never seen the material know as “canned chili”. I only use Hatch green chili and freeze some to ensure I have access to the green- gold when out of season.
I don’t think I am a snob, however, I come from New England and tend to suffer from “aloofness” but I am also afflicted by some good old fashioned Puritan values. I think I those two traits in combination make me appear to be a snob to others. For example, I buy for quality and don’t care how much something costs but then I take care of it so it lasts a really long time. I read a description of a character in book a while ago that basically described “old money” as buying an expensive Volvo wagon, in black, and driving it forever and “new money” as leasing a new flashy red convertible every 2 years. I am solidly in the first category even though I wouldn’t classify us as any “money” at all…
Yeah I am a bit of a snob when it comes to information. I love to read and sometimes I will find a really interesting fact about some obscure topic and just prattle on talking about it to other people…
Snob has such a negative connotation to me so I think of it in a negative way. The word itself - SNOB - is a offensive word! (to me)
To me a snob is someone who has an opinion about a thing or topic - and thinks their way is the right way - and often bashes another’s opinion about the same thing along the way.
Not always of course.
I don’t think I’d want to describe myself as being a snob of anything because of the negative connotation.
I also agree that snobbery often comes with privilege.
There is A LOT of snobbery on CC (IMO). ALL kinds.
I’m not sure you can be a “knowledge snob”. We have a friend who DOES drive people crazy however because (darn it!) he’s always right. He’s always “been there, done that”, done it better. But you can’t call him a snob.
Being knowledgeable, on its own, is not snobby. It is the method of approach that can make it snobby. Such as: I never knew BCG vaccines helped lower the impacts of Covid-19 (not snobby) compared to “I can’t believe you did not know…” There is a complete, precise difference between the two.
A knowledge snob is someone who feels superior to others who don’t have that knowledge. My example of the person who couldn’t identify wheat growing was just baffling to me. Snobbish? Maybe. Or just dumbfounded at how uneducated some people are and then feeling superior because you are educated. It’s the feeling of superiority that makes one snobbish.
There is just a lot of knowledge out there…too much for any one person to know. It seems so naive to me for people to pat themselves on the back and condescend to people who don’t have the knowledge base that they do…not realizing that an “ignorant” person may have a depth of knowledge or skill in something that they, themselves, are clueless about.
