This article in today's Washington Post talks about how Mitt Romney has a problem because he wants to be a Republican Everyman and shed his Harvard roots. For now, let's set aside the Republican Party's opportunistic (and mostly disingenuous) obsession with being folksy, anti-science, and pro-dumb. What's most interesting here is "why do people from Harvard feel the need to deny their Harvard-ness?"
I have long struggled with this issue. More often than not, when I ask a Harvard grad where they went to school (at least Harvard undergrad), they say "I went to school in Boston," or "outside Boston," or "in Cambridge." Normal people are usually not so evasive, but then again, most people didn't go to Harvard. There are a few things that people think about Harvard; two of these things are "those kids are really smart" and "those kids are really stuck up and too privileged." Obviously, when Harvard grads say "I went to school in Boston," they're assuming that most people think of the latter stereotype.
For me, this is simply annoying. Why not just own where you come from? Most people know what you mean when you say "in Boston," which makes the whole thing seem even more pretentious. It's unfortunate that Harvard grads have to deal with this stigma, because there are many good people at Harvard who do great things (and yes, many of them are also snobs).
I went to an undergrad school that is not well-known, and I'm very proud to say that "I went to Rhodes College, a small liberal arts school in Memphis." I'm equally proud to say "I went to the business school at Duke." Make no mistake - Duke is an elite school, although not in Harvard's class (in most people's minds, at least). Still, I'm proud to own where I came from. When people associate me with the often-derided Coach K and Christian Laettner, I'll proudly stand by my school. When they bring that Duke undergrads can be a little... snobbish themselves, I'll own that, too. "That wasn't my experience at the business school by a long shot, but those guys definitely exist."
Anyway, I think Harvard grads should own it instead of being coy. Be proud of getting into a select school. Own it, and in the process prove that people from Harvard aren't all snobs.
Am I wrong? I could be.
I have long struggled with this issue. More often than not, when I ask a Harvard grad where they went to school (at least Harvard undergrad), they say "I went to school in Boston," or "outside Boston," or "in Cambridge." Normal people are usually not so evasive, but then again, most people didn't go to Harvard. There are a few things that people think about Harvard; two of these things are "those kids are really smart" and "those kids are really stuck up and too privileged." Obviously, when Harvard grads say "I went to school in Boston," they're assuming that most people think of the latter stereotype.
For me, this is simply annoying. Why not just own where you come from? Most people know what you mean when you say "in Boston," which makes the whole thing seem even more pretentious. It's unfortunate that Harvard grads have to deal with this stigma, because there are many good people at Harvard who do great things (and yes, many of them are also snobs).
I went to an undergrad school that is not well-known, and I'm very proud to say that "I went to Rhodes College, a small liberal arts school in Memphis." I'm equally proud to say "I went to the business school at Duke." Make no mistake - Duke is an elite school, although not in Harvard's class (in most people's minds, at least). Still, I'm proud to own where I came from. When people associate me with the often-derided Coach K and Christian Laettner, I'll proudly stand by my school. When they bring that Duke undergrads can be a little... snobbish themselves, I'll own that, too. "That wasn't my experience at the business school by a long shot, but those guys definitely exist."
Anyway, I think Harvard grads should own it instead of being coy. Be proud of getting into a select school. Own it, and in the process prove that people from Harvard aren't all snobs.
Am I wrong? I could be.
No comments:
Post a Comment