"It has been suggested to me that I am bit of a snob. How true! I prefer to be."Raymond Chandler (Pictured above)Snobbery is good. It is a gift. A noble quality that should be striven for. And ought to be embraced and displayed with pride.The snobs are the knowledgeable. The informed. The passionate.Have you ever met a dumb person who has sharp insight about politics, literature or music? I doubt it. It's the intelligent and clever that can regurgitate facts and figures and tell you why something is the bee's knees and the opposite sucks.It is your responsibility as a member of a free society to cherry-pick what information you intake and decide what you believe is good and worthy of your time.Be unapologetic about what you believe or what you love. Who is your favorite Beatle (I will argue George), who is a proper novelist or what restaurant serves the best lasagna. Even if someone has a strong opinion about a topic that I think is absolute rubbish, if their argument is made smartly and with passion, I respect you.

When someone is asked what kind of music they like and they answer "Oh, I like everything," they might as well say they like nothing. They have no idea what they like. And I'll wager their schizophrenic iPod reflects that. Hip hop, American Idol-like pop, country, excruciating "guy-liner" rock, polka, they don't have a clue in hell what they enjoy. In addition, the junk they listen to now, won't be on their stereo in six months.: Katie Couric asks half-governor Sarah Palin what newspapers and magazines she reads. "Uh, all of them." Really? I think you mean none of them. Months later, Glenn "Six Degrees To Nazism" Beck asks Mrs. Palin who is her favorite Founding Father. She blanks for a moment and then says "All of them." Again, she had no idea. Beck even had to bail her out and suggest George Washington. Then Palin all of a sudden agrees. Yes, Washington. That's my favorite.Apathy is dangerous. It lulls you softly into stupidity and inspires a tendency to watch dating shows on VH1.The snob visits museums and art galleries, reads books and magazines that have more words than pictures, watches the news, sees great films, absorbs documentaries and then has an opinion on everything he or she has learned.That's the key: learned. Once again, the snob isn't dumb.We live in a topsy-turvy society where "elitist" is a quasi-putdown. Elitist, to me, is not an insult. Not within driving distance of an insult. I embrace the moniker. It's a badge of honor. The crowd that uses "elite" as an insult are usually from the same bunch that are trying to being a professional politician then brag that they are not a "Washington insider." What the hell kind of logic is that? It's as if you are interviewing to be an accountant and brag "You know, I really want this job, but I'm a bit of a math outsider." Or, "I am applying for the position of casino handicapper, but I'm a proud gambling outsider." I don't think those jokers are getting the gig.A politician's blunder or stupid sound bite often isn't their own fault. The blame is deflected to the "media elite" who have the gall to report on the gaffe. "How dare the east coast media elite report on me sexually harassing male staffers. It's just bias and a group with an agenda." I don't think so, Bubba.I have embraced my snobby views. Somehow the rednecks have embraced that label. They're proud of it. And they are ridiculous. So me taking pride in being a snob seems pretty mild in comparison.Being a snob also protects you like an ancient suit of armor from the never-ending stream of garbage and stupidity that is put out for public consumption. "Do you watch Two-and-a-Half Men?" Absolutely not. That show is awful. The jokes are for 8th graders. "Do you like country music?" No. I feel the same way about country music as I feel about syphilis.As our great nation's apathy and laziness spirals us into stupidity, it's time to stop the trend. Broaden your horizons. Educate yourself. Avoid the swill that permeates our society. Selectively choose what you will read, watch or listen to. Become a proud member of the Snobs of America. You'll be happier for it.Selah...JW