First time Quote by Alain de Botton
““The word “snobbery” came into use for the first time in England during the 1820s. It was said to have derived from the habit of many Oxford and Cambridge colleges of writing sine nobilitate (without nobility), or “s.nob, ” next to the names of ordinary students on examination lists in order to distinguish them from their aristocratic peers. In the word’s earliest days, a snob was taken to mean someone without high status, but it quickly assumed its modern and almost diametrically opposed meaning: someone offended by a lack of high status in others,””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Art of Travel, 2002
Snobbery originally meant lack of noble birth, but now describes disdain for those of lower status.
In simple terms: Snobbery shifted from low birth to contempt for lower status.
Key Takeaway
Beware judging others by perceived status.
Themes
class
status
prejudice
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- workplace
- social gatherings
- online forums
- educational settings
Key Concepts
social hierarchy
linguistic evolution
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we still value status?
- How does language shape class attitudes?
A Different Perspective
Modern snobbery can be subtle, making it hard to detect.
