At present our consciousness has been raised against the word "elitism" so far that it may be irretrievable, just like – as some have argued – the word "atheism". Just as some people are trying to rally around more palatable alternatives to the word "atheism", might we think of alternatives to "elitism" that carry the same meaning but not the stigma. Consciousness-raising yet again.

Professionalism? Meritocracy? Part of the problem is that the definition of leader is vague enough for people to make up their own definitions, and that leaves it open for candidates who can talk a good game (at least, their electorate's game) and charm their way to the top. It's obscene how much money can be spent on a political election campaign for advertising, with all the psychological trickery that implies.

I sincerely hope the next generation is far smarter than ours. If democracy is ever held by too many ignoramuses, we'll all end up on the wrong side of a political event horizon.