Word: brahminism
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...outsider's bitter view of Harvard is nothing new for the people of Boston. It is rooted in an age old tension between what Boston College professor Thomas O'Conner has called the aristocratic, Protestant, Harvard educated Brahmin class, and the Irish, Italian, Catholic immigrant class. The late Thomas "Tip" O'Neil, a classic Irish politician, former Speaker of the House and Cambridge resident, was found of exploiting the gulf between the Cambridge working class and the Cambridge academic class. He often boasted that the only relationship he ever had with Harvard was a summer job mowing lawns...
Admittedly, recent years have seen these traditional New England distinctions become less defined. An issue once polarized by figures such as Henry Cabot Lodge and James Michael Curley, class conflict is today very subtle. As a result, Harvard is losing its image as the pinnacle of Brahmin culture. Today, Harvard strives to straddle all social, economic, geographical, and racial barriers in its pursuit of excellence...
...while today's world may be discarding Brahmin images of Harvard, it is certainly building new ones. Often these visions are quite positive. The other day I went over to Lens Crafters to get some contact lenses. While the optician was checking my eyes with his little white light, he asked where I went to school. When I told him I went to Harvard, I immediately sensed a reaction but was surprised by what he actually said. Instead of hearing the typical "That place is expensive huh?" or the even more creative "You must be smart!" I saw his eyes...
...much for Brahmin in breeding...
...quintessential Hahvahd Man is the starched,tight-ass preppy. Formerly known for his Hyannisdrawl, Brahmin lockjaw, and stock taste cultivatedfrom generations of inbreeding among the finestfamilies in America, he no longer preserves thatimpeccable WASPish pedigree. He has become morediverse, but remains a distinctive creature...