Snobbery - How to recognize a snob and how to communicate with him

Updated July 24, 2021 454 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. “What a snob you are!” - with equal probability, such a phrase can sound like an insult and an expression of sincere delight.

This word is heard by everyone, but most people feel what it means only on a subconscious level. In general, it’s a case of “I understand everything, but I can’t say it.” Let's formulate!

What is snobbery

Snobbery is a term that describes the thoughts and actions characteristic of snobs. In its simplest sense, snobbery is excessive arrogance and pride in one's unique position (real, ideal or feigned), which implies admiration for lifestyles and customs that are a reflection of one's aspirations. It can reflect high intelligence, exceptional taste, well-deserved prestige and respect in certain circles, provided, however, that the person tells others about his achievements and does not wait for them to notice them.

Snobbery always reveals a person's incompatibility with a certain social structure or society. Thus, wealthy merchants who outnumbered the intelligentsia could easily buy themselves a place among these people. Later, elements of snobbery began to creep into their behavior; they tried to imitate the behavior and manners of secular and educated people, for which they had neither training nor sufficient education or upbringing. The desire to compensate for a lack of skills with a proud appearance, excessive luxury, high expenses, cheeky behavior and other elements that are not directly related to the manifestation of a person’s level are elements of snobbery.

The meaning of the word "snobbery" has changed over time, but it has always had a negative connotation. He always strives to reach a level that objectively does not suit a person, and tries to do this at the expense of the external environment, instead of working on his own personality.

Who is a snob

A snob is a person belonging to one of the privileged social circles. At the same time, in the context of building a modern society, the boundaries of individual levels are increasingly blurred, and you can get into one of the circles of the elite without having any money, education, or connections. That is, a snob can feel proud being in any social stratum, considering himself an elite, and objectivity is not important in order to see himself above other people.

A snob expresses himself by emphasizing those traits and behaviors that are recognized in his chosen group. This can be achieved through overly demonstrative behavior, appropriate clothing and a conversational style. The brilliance of this opposition is intended to emphasize the uniqueness of the individual and the elitism of the group to which he belongs, while the importance of the opinions and achievements of others is assessed as too small or unworthy.

Arrogance and snobbery are not synonymous, but are closer to the concept of contempt for others not belonging to the select class. They may make unflattering comments, tell people what to do, and otherwise speak negatively about their worldview.

Snobs always talk about their achievements and exalted qualities, which is very important; a truly modest person will not talk about his modesty, and a spiritual person will not reproach others for their lack of spirituality. On the other hand, such speech is quite acceptable for a snob, and he will not even think about where the contradiction lies. The line of behavior is always demonstrative, bordering on euphoria, and if you consider yourself to belong to the elite of show business, then the level of shocking can reach those limits when it is already perceived as something funny. Attempts to portray refined taste and refined manners seem organic only to the snob himself, and for people who understand such performances look as implausible as diamonds sold on the market.

It is typical for snobs to attend exhibitions and concerts, various cultural or salon events to emphasize their uniqueness. The value lies not so much in the significance of what is happening as in the art, but in how closed the exhibition is - and the fewer invitations, the stronger the desire of the snob to get there, regardless of his preferences.

Any imitation of the tastes of a selected society is blind, and when left alone or in the company of people who do not belong to the selected society, the snob is lost, not knowing which line of behavior to choose and what to say about himself to others. Uniqueness is important to him only when others are around, but he will not do this in his free time for simple pleasure. This often leads to huge scandals when celebrities are accidentally spotted in inappropriate places or engaging in activities that are inconsistent with the image they have carefully crafted.

The importance of living your life fades into the background, as does the search for your true purpose. For a snob, the most important thing is to create a favorable external image and carefully maintain it - happiness, confidence, prosperity are also not so much sensory categories as moments of completing the necessary image. Imitation ultimately robs a person of his individuality and ability to creatively express himself as an individual.

Humiliating behavior and statements about other people and concepts become characteristic against the backdrop of hypervaluation of one’s own image and the image of the selected group. It is not always possible to show your superiority by simply playing a role well, especially if you lack objective qualities, so snobs often try to elevate themselves by humiliating others, belittling their importance and beauty. Therefore, when someone fails to write a better project than someone else, the snob is likely to choose the tactic of discrediting that person on an intellectual level, no matter how valid those conclusions are.

What remains important is that deep down in the soul or in the evening, having taken off all the masks, a person recognizes his worthlessness or, at least, his unsuitability for reality. Under favorable conditions and a strong internal foundation, you can admit this to yourself for a long time, involve others and truly engage in self-development. In most cases, this is only a temporary weakness, after which the number of malicious ridicule directed at others increases.

Snobbery is arrogance and arrogance, which manifests itself on the part of a snob

Snobbery and hypocrisy: differences

Of course, snobbery and bigotry have certain points of intersection, which is why many people often confuse such individuals with snobs and bigots. These concepts are similar only in that people with such character traits treat everyone around them with a certain contempt and arrogance. Otherwise they are different. The snob sincerely believes that he is much superior in all respects, namely, more cultured and morally pure than other people. Therefore, a snob considers himself a person of a higher class, and this is the whole essence of the concept of snobbery.

The prude lectures other people, pointing out their mistakes and telling them how they should live. At the same time, a bigot can be a hypocrite who does not see his own shortcomings. Prudes try to show others the superiority of their knowledge and skills.

Examples of snobbery

An example of snobbery is any ostentatious actions and acquisitions designed to emphasize a person’s status. This could be a really expensive house, a plane, a car, which a person needs so that those around him can understand his merits in his professional path, guess his intelligence and abilities. But this does not mean that all major purchases will indicate such quality; much more often they buy fake or counterfeit goods in order to give the appearance of compliance with the circle in which the person is located.

Remembering that a snob pursues apparent wealth more than real wealth, we see that a person will not tolerate being among those who wear gold watches and will buy a fake. A girl who finds herself in the company of glamorous friends can no longer afford to wear high-quality, but not branded clothes, hence the mass of Chinese counterfeits.

This applies to the material level, but there are also manifestations on the intellectual level, when a person has chosen the class of scientists or artists. It will also close its gaps by appealing to names and labels, i.e. the words of a famous professor will be more important to him than his personal opinion. The author of the painting will have a much greater influence on the decision to purchase it than his own attitude to the combination of shape and color.

Examples of professional snobbery are clearly manifested when a young employee joins an established team, and someone starts lecturing him. The difference will be that the mentor will not help, but will use every opportunity to point out the incompetence of the new employee and extol his skills compared to his past.

There is snobbery based on place of birth and residence - you will remember, described at least in jokes, the attitude of the capital towards visitors and the interaction of individual cities. This labeling of belonging to a certain class, which has not provided official benefits for decades, is precisely the reason for the emergence of a large number of snobs. Today, the more people move, the less significant the manifestation of snobbery on a geographical basis becomes, but the influence of fashion and the media in shaping the desired image and the desire to live up to it increases.

What kind of people can become snobs?

Who is a snob? The Encyclopedic Dictionary defines a snob as a person who follows tastes, manners, etc. high society and ignores everything that goes beyond its rules; a person who claims to have exquisite taste, an exclusive range of professions and interests.

To understand what is behind this, why a person becomes a snob, let us turn to System-Vector Psychology by Yuri Burlan. System-vector psychology examines the causes of human behavior through vectors. A vector is a set of innate mental properties that determine a person’s abilities, value system and behavior. There are eight vectors in total. Modern man, in general, has 3-5 vectors. Each vector gives its owner potential that must be developed and realized.

For people with visual impairments, the eyes are a particularly sensitive area. These people see the world in a special way, they feel it much more subtly than others. Those with the visual vector have forty times more visual lobes than people with other vectors. Visual vectors are also responsible for the perception of information, since 90% of information enters the brain through vision.

This natural feature endows visual vectors with great creative and intellectual potential, ingenuity and high learning ability. They are able to see and feel the beauty of the world like no one else. Visual people want everything around them to be beautiful.

They also have the maximum emotional range - from fear for their own lives to love for others. Potentially, owners of the Visual Vector are able to experience compassion and empathy for others, and love is for them the main meaning of existence. They are able to see and appreciate not only the external, but also the internal beauty of people. To do this, it is necessary to develop and use the potential inherent in nature.

According to System-Vector Psychology by Yuri Burlan, the visual vector, like any other vector, develops until the end of adolescence, i.e. up to 14-16 years, and the implementation of vector properties is a lifelong process. With the correct development of the properties of the visual vector, its owners bring culture and art to society and are carriers of the ideas of humanism. They can be successfully applied in all creative professions.

Also, carriers of the visual vector can embody the properties determined by the vector in areas such as medicine and volunteering, or simply helping people in need of help and support. That is, the visual vector manifests itself where there is a need to subtly empathize with other people, sympathize with them, help them, create emotional connections with them and work in the direction of giving.

Such a person, of course, cannot be a snob. Sensually developed, empathetic, he does not feel his superiority over others and therefore does not try to emphasize his superiority over them.

When a sensually developed and realized person with a vision vector expresses himself in compassion and empathy, he feels happy. Thus, he fulfills his true desires. And this realization leaves no room for negative internal states that an unrealized seer may experience and which prevent him from enjoying life, and not only provoke manifestations of snobbery.

Snobbery has a certain characteristic portrait of a snob person

How an intellectual becomes a snob

As they say in the system of vector psychology by Yuri Burlan, intelligence and sensitivity develop in parallel and may not always have the same degree of development. A person can be nice and friendly, but not shine with intelligence.

As for snobbery, the opposite is true: a snob, whose intellect is highly developed, has undeveloped sensuality. Or he is developed, but does not know how to use his potential. He does not have the ability to show empathy, compassion and love to other people. And then the visual person experiences negative internal states, because his need to vividly experience and express feelings and emotions is not satisfied. Therefore, he tries to make up for his lack with the help of snobbery, emphasizing his imaginary superiority over others.

Thus, a snob is a person who does not have the opportunity to experience the fullness of life. He or she does not experience the maximum possible joy because he or she cannot (does not have the skills or simply does not know how) to fully realize himself. Such a person unconsciously deprives himself of joy and the feeling that he is living life to the fullest. And this “lack of happiness”, the incompleteness of life, pushes the visual person towards snobbery as a kind of compensation, a substitute for making up for internal shortcomings.

The snob seems to think in “higher” categories than others. For example, he tries to read serious literature, goes to exhibitions and performances, and if someone else does not read, does not go to premieres, or simply dresses unfashionably (again from the point of view of a snob), then he is simply one of the unworthy ones who should be looked upon look with contempt.

Thus, the eye snob comes up with certain patterns for himself by which he judges others. And the snob looks at all people who do not meet these standards (usually everyone except himself) with a certain hostility. That one, in his opinion, is poorly dressed, the other is poorly expressed, and the third is a complete ignorant and cannot talk about Mona...

Summarizing the above considerations, we can draw the following conclusions. When an intellectually developed person with a vision vector lacks implementation, he belittles unworthy, in his opinion, people who do not correspond to his ideas of what they should be. Thus, the snob falsely elevates himself above them, as if demonstrating his intellectual superiority. Trying in this way to get the missing pleasure from life. Thus, at the expense of the “unworthy” he gets his petty pleasure. It seems to him that others should be happy that the “elite” paid attention to them.

What is a snob proud of?

Talent, a large amount of money, connections with high-ranking people, and so on can be a source of pride. There are also the opposite cases, when a snob clearly demonstrates his superiority in the ability to own something less than his friends, or simply something different. In general, the snob is completely indifferent, which is an advantage. His way of speaking is to present his views and possessions as correct in any situation.

There are many examples:

1. A laptop is better than a desktop computer.
2. An outdated and simple phone model is better than a new and cutting-edge one.
3. A house in the countryside is better than an upscale apartment in the city center (sometimes the opposite is true).
4. More modern equipment is better than what was purchased even a year ago.
5. Antiques are more valuable than anything else.
6. A small car is better than a big one because it is more maneuverable.
7. An expensive big car is better than a small one because it is more prestigious, etc.

Always recognizable

As a rule, these excessive efforts take grotesque forms, and snobs are always visible. One of the subtle experts on good manners and etiquette rules, John Morgan, said that such realities as “snob, snobbery” are immediately recognizable, because both the person and the phenomenon as a whole have never managed to avoid two fatal mistakes.

With all his heart, a snob wants to belong among a certain society, the representatives of which he considers to be celestials. As a result of excessive actions - flattery, servility, emphasized contempt for inferiors - the snob becomes either clearly obsequious or cheeky.

Reasons for snobbery

A snob is not at all an innate personality trait of a person; its appearance and development is due to a whole list of various reasons. Reasons include:

• The value system adopted in a given family, in which snobbery plays an important role;
• The desire of a person from the provinces to become “one of their own” in a large metropolis;
• The influence of snobbish attitudes of society (for example, workers);
• The development of egoism and the associated loss of a person’s ability to empathize, ignoring the opinions and emotions of others;
• A limited worldview and an inflexible way of thinking, under the influence of which only external methods of communication and behavior become valuable
• Extremely low self-esteem, in which a person tries in every way to improve his social status.

How to quickly recognize a snob

Such people clearly manifest themselves, complementing the term “snob” presented in Wikipedia and dictionaries. This is a colorful palette:

1. A disdainful attitude towards those who do not conform to the norms of society, considered superior. A snob divides everyone into categories according to aesthetic, intellectual, professional, and material qualities.
2. It is not the objects and phenomena themselves that are valued, but the extent to which they are valued by members of the circle to which the snob wants to belong.
3. Lack of own opinion. Such people have always borrowed their opinions from the desired “higher circle”.
4. A persistent search for evidence of noble origin. The great-grandmother, who was a French nobleman or a royal general, is shown in public with the family coat of arms. The ancestors of workers and peasants suddenly found themselves “forgotten.”
5. Yesterday's Larisa or Sasha can suddenly become Laura or Sandra: a snob strives for ennoblement at any cost, at least at the expense of a sonorous name.
6. Positioning yourself as an expert in various significant fields (art, literature, fashion, finance, etc.), the owner of refined taste.
7. They constantly emphasize the fact that they occupy high positions. The snob posts "it's me and the Prince of Wales" photos prominently in his home and on social media. In conversation, she likes to throw around big names, creating the appearance of close acquaintance with outstanding personalities.

The psychology of snobs is based on the desire to appear more significant than they actually are. Such people have turned their well-known credo “To be, and not to seem” into “To seem, and not to be.” For a snob, appearance is more important than life and feelings.

The main signs of snobbery

Snobbery has several characteristics that are easy to spot in a typical snob. These include:

• Unjustified ambitions and arrogance, which alienate a person from others, significantly complicating communication with others;
• Constant demonstration of self-worth and importance, narcissism and the need to be recognized for one’s eccentricity;
• Lack of compassion and empathy for others;
• He tends to divide people into the best and the worst, which makes him very selective in his relationships with others. This person is dismissive in conversation with those below him in position, but gets along openly with influential and authoritative people;
• Demonstration of your intelligence in at least one, if not several areas;
• Admiration for representatives of the upper classes, the desire to imitate them in everything, to try to copy their lifestyle and behavior;
• Arrogance, which is based on the belief that they belong to a privileged caste or clan;
• The tendency to instruct, advise and criticize others, believing that their own opinion is the only correct one;
• Dependence on the opinions of others.

As can be seen from the above, the psychological basis of snobbery is the desire to appear to others as more significant and important than they actually are. At the same time, the snob tries to give such an impression, but makes no real attempt to become such a person.

History of origin

The concept of “snob” originated in England and meant a person in the profession of “small shoemaker.” Then this word began to be used to describe individuals who wanted to join high society and ingratiate themselves with aristocrats. At that time, the hypocrite did not have the appropriate taste in clothes, which was very noticeable. But gradually this quality disappeared, since a modern snob is a person who looks fashionable and stylish.

The “English snob” type appeared in Great Britain in the Victorian era as a consequence of the emergence of the commercial aristocracy - a new social class. Its representatives are not characterized by noble origin, but by significance in the political and economic spheres. At that time, aristocrats and landowners had significant influence, but the new class strived in every possible way to acquire the corresponding status.

Is snobbery good or bad?

Snobbery is seen as a negative personality trait. It is associated with the unpleasant emotions experienced by society at the sight of cheap actions, ostentatious behavior and the inner emptiness of snobs. At the same time, from the point of view of building interactions, these are also not the most pleasant people who will treat favorably only those who belong to their chosen circle, and even better, if it is one of the leading personalities there. Snobs treat everyone else as lower class or don't even consider them human, and they can be quite cruel in their comments, the experience of which can lead to deep psychological trauma.

However, if you think about it a little more seriously, snobbery ultimately has nothing to do with the development of culture as a whole. These people do not accept human inferiority and nip it in the bud, both in their behavior and in the behavior of others. They always promote the culture, even if they are not part of it or do not understand why funding the show is so important for youth development. Snobs will always try to look good and surround themselves with beautiful things - the issue of taste can be edited with the support of stylists or developed independently over time.

In any case, it is a desire for culture and beauty that not all people share. And a very active position in this matter helps to revive lost cultural layers, discover new modern talents, and develop society as a whole. This point cannot go unnoticed, because many truly sensitive people belonging to the elite do not seek to develop their niche as intensely and fundamentally as the snobs who joined it, bought their places, and perhaps that is why they value it so much development as a way to make a living.

From external form to internal content

However, the lack of implementation required by the visual vector, the internal voids, cannot be filled with snobbery, no matter how hard you try. After all, a person experiences the greatest joy and pleasure from life when he realizes the properties given by nature and fulfills his true desires. In the case of the visual vector, such implementation is empathy and compassion, establishing emotional connections with other people. Therefore, if a visual person exhibits the traits of a snob, this is a sign that he is not being realized.

System-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan provides knowledge about the human psyche, helps to understand one’s real desires and the possibilities of realizing them. We learn to see more deeply the inner world of other people, their inner beauty, and not just the outer shell. To realize your natural properties, mental and emotional potential, get more joy from communicating with people and pleasure from life, register for free online lectures on System-Vector Psychology by Yuri Burlan.

Author of the publication: Marina Bashmanova, art director
The article was written based on materials from the training “System-vector psychology”

Snobbery and snob: who is susceptible

Snobbery is not found in everyone, and people with a weak emotional range and strong intellectual development are more prone to it. Sensitivity and intelligence are formed simultaneously, but they do not depend on each other. That is why in a snob there is such a gap between the development of mental abilities and high moral qualities.

People with well-formed imaginative and sensual intelligence are able to empathize with others, evoking positive emotions and kindness in them. Lack of emotionality leads to contempt, irony and disrespectful attitude towards people, which is typical for snobs.

Snobbery manifests itself in those individuals who have a violation of the emotional range

Snobbery and snob: how to get rid of it

Snobbery is difficult to eradicate, and dependence on the opinions of others must first be overcome. There is no need to submit to the influence of society and live as it dictates. Completely opposite opinions can exist in society at the same time. Therefore, it is impossible to please all people at once. If a person tries to live as society dictates, when he understands that it contradicts him, such behavior is meaningless.

Increased self-esteem

Another step towards getting rid of such thinking as snobbery is to work on yourself. In addition, it is necessary to increase self-esteem. Lack of self-confidence leads to a search for support in society, which often turns out to be harmful. To increase your self-esteem, you need to remember all your achievements and write them down in a notebook.

If you feel unsure about your decisions, you should re-read these notes. This will lift your spirits and give you confidence. Just don’t deceive yourself and take credit for something you didn’t do.

Getting rid of pride

Snobbery will not disappear on its own, so it is necessary to get rid of pride. This is what shows that a snob is better than everyone else around him. Pride prompts a person to give unnecessary advice, condemn the behavior of others, impose his opinion on a particular issue, etc. All people are equal to each other, and no one can be better or worse. The actions of other people should not concern anyone, because it is their own business.

Developing Empathy

Snobbery can suppress many of the emotions that any person needs to live a fulfilling life. On this basis, sensitivity and emotionality should be gradually developed. Thanks to this action, compassion, mercy and other highly moral qualities will appear. To awaken emotions towards others, you need to learn to distinguish your true feelings. To do this, you must ask yourself: “What am I feeling at this moment? - and answer it honestly.

Then you need to learn to think about how the other person feels in certain circumstances. This is how an emotion such as empathy develops.

Snobbery is very deeply rooted in the mind, so you should not give up when difficulties arise. Self-development is not an easy task. For this reason, it is necessary to have persistence and patience.

The modern interpretation is far from the truth

Now, when elite restaurants under the guise of “Snob” are opened in many cities, and a luxury magazine of the same name is published, it seems that snobbery is something refined or even refined. Or the arrogance and arrogance of people who still belong to the elite. However, the roots of this phenomenon are much more prosaic. Snobs are upstarts who come from the lower strata of society, but are delusional about the “light.” The translation of the word itself means a person of low birth. One of the popular versions of the origin of the term is based on the prestigious Eton College, founded by Henry VI in 1440 for boys from the best English families. But along with them, the children of wealthy commoners also entered the educational institution. “Nobs” - boys from noble families (noble - nobleman) - did not know much about snobs (sine nobilitate or s. nob. - no noble title). At Eton, the predecessor of Cambridge, the word “snobbery” meant something completely different from what today’s “crows in peacock feathers” and not only domestic ones mean.