The difference between "Elitism" and "cliqueishness": AKA "WORDS HAVE MEANINGS"
ELITE:
-noun
1. ( often used with a plural verb ) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.
2. ( used with a plural verb ) persons of the highest class: Only the elite were there.
3. a group of persons exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group: the power elite of a major political party.
-adjective
5. representing the most choice or select; best: an elite group of authors.
Elitism is the favouring of things/people one considers to be the best of its/their kind. To me it makes perfect sense; discern things of a higher quality, and if you can afford it/attain it, revel in this. The judgement of what constitutes "elite work" or "elite workers" may be disputed, but that doesn't make the act of determining that one piece of work is better than another inherently evil; without "this is better than that" it's a little hard to improve. Being "elitist" is merely the rejection of works which don't reach a particular standard; it does not actually imply the rejection of people who don't reach a certain standard with their work.
CLIQUE
-noun
1. a small, exclusive group of people; coterie; set.
A clique is an exclusive group, ie, one which excludes. While a clique's entrance criteria may be based on elitism it may also be based on neoptism, wealth, language, faith, or political leaning. Cliqueishness and elitism may intersect, but they are not interchangeable, and it is ignorant and limiting to tar them both with the same brush.
-noun
1. ( often used with a plural verb ) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.
2. ( used with a plural verb ) persons of the highest class: Only the elite were there.
3. a group of persons exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group: the power elite of a major political party.
-adjective
5. representing the most choice or select; best: an elite group of authors.
Elitism is the favouring of things/people one considers to be the best of its/their kind. To me it makes perfect sense; discern things of a higher quality, and if you can afford it/attain it, revel in this. The judgement of what constitutes "elite work" or "elite workers" may be disputed, but that doesn't make the act of determining that one piece of work is better than another inherently evil; without "this is better than that" it's a little hard to improve. Being "elitist" is merely the rejection of works which don't reach a particular standard; it does not actually imply the rejection of people who don't reach a certain standard with their work.
CLIQUE
-noun
1. a small, exclusive group of people; coterie; set.
A clique is an exclusive group, ie, one which excludes. While a clique's entrance criteria may be based on elitism it may also be based on neoptism, wealth, language, faith, or political leaning. Cliqueishness and elitism may intersect, but they are not interchangeable, and it is ignorant and limiting to tar them both with the same brush.