Oh my goodness, this guy nails it in so many ways. As a former member of the
intelligensia, I must admit to having been one of these snobs. Through high school and early college (I heckled Jeb Bush, back when he really was a wee shrub, at the University of Miami campus!), I thought and felt myself so superior. My friends and I would dismiss conservative arguments by looking at each other and rolling our eyes, never bothering to really counter what they were saying.
All this time though, something was eating at me. As I got older and hopefully wiser, I began to see the big flaws of liberalism, but being unable to actually LIKE or become a conservative or republican, I went over (this is a huge jump), to the libertarians. This allowed me still a bit of snobbery (come on libertarians, you know it!). Now older still, I consider myself a libertarian leaning conservative. But I still remember well the smug, self-righteous, dissmisive a$#hole that I was, how intoxicating was that feeling to be among my high-minded friends, as we looked down at the troglodytes...
Welcome to the club! A while back, rdb3's 19-year old cousin (nephew?) introduced himself on FreeRepublic.
I was gnashing my teeth. A 19-year old conservative? My younger self looked even more stupid.
How's your cuz, rdb3?