Snobbery

Snobbery is a social attitude or behavior characterized by the belief that one’s own tastes, education, or social status are superior to those of others, and by the consequent denigration or exclusion of people perceived as belonging to lower status groups. It often involves making value judgments about others based on preferences in areas such as clothing, language, cultural consumption, or education, rather than objective criteria.

The term historically refers to people who aspire to higher social standing and to those who claim superiority on the basis of cultivated tastes. Snobbery may operate across economic, cultural, and social dimensions and is frequently expressed through language, manners, or behavior that signals distinction. The concept of cultural capital, as developed in sociology, helps explain how tastes and dispositions function as markers of social position.

Common manifestations include disparaging remarks about others’ education, tastes in art or music, or choices of leisure activities; exclusive clubs or events; and policing of what counts as “respectable” knowledge. Social media can magnify snobbery by enabling rapid judgments and echo chambers.

Impact can be exclusionary and undermine social mobility, creating barriers to participation and perpetuating stereotypes. Critics view snobbery as a costly form of superiority rooted in insecurity, while defenders may argue that standards and cultivated taste can foster cultural appreciation. The phenomenon is often discussed in studies of class, culture, and social inequality.