Is skiing elitist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A coworker said this to me today. Is this a common perception?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is horseback riding elitist?

Golf?

Tennis?

Sailing?

Same thing.

Actually not the same. There are public golf courses with hourly club rentals; public tennis courses and any old used racket from Good Will will do the trick; and sailing just might be your livelihood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please, please stop. "Elitist" is not the right word. You mean UMC and UMC is not elitist.

What DCUM considers to be “UMC” is, in fact, elite. This thread is exhibit A.

NP. Elite is not the same as elitist.

DCUM is addicted to using “ist” words and most people don’t seem to know what they mean. It’s not racist to notice that someone is a different race or to make factual statements about differences. It’s not elitist to do an elite activity, no matter how expensive it is.

WELL SAID.

But it is racist to deny that certain advantages accrue to white people as a result of their white privilege, just as it is elitist to deny that access to certain activities is the result of the economic advantages that are only available to the elite.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/elitist

Elitist: organized for the good of a few people who have special interests or abilities:
Many remember sports at school as elitist, focusing only on those who were good at them.

[in this case, the “special abilities” are time and money]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can drive an hour and a half and go skiing for the day with rented gear for under $100, including gas.

That’s not elitist.

MAYBE — although adding in round trip for gas, is pushing it — IF you can get a package for a non-weekend day. So, for someone who has $100 to spare for a one-day activity who happens to not have something like a job that requires their presence on a weekday, AND who happened to grow up skiing, so they don’t need expensive lessons, it’s great. Who also don’t have any other kids or family members they need to pay for.

That’s still a small minority of people who are — you got it — elite.

Lots of people have weekly bar tabs that are more than that. Or spend that much on lottery tickets. Or new shoes every week.

Are they elite too?

If they spend $100 a week on new shoes? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something that is expensive doesn’t make it elitist. It’s elitist if people are excluded.

And if it s priced to exclude, then it is elitist. Where are the public ski slopes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skiing, golf, dressage, polo and sailing are THE most elitist pursuits there are

I had to look it up. This is so beautiful!

[Anonymous]

If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother lives in Maine. Skiing is the after school activity. The mountain is one of the school bus stops. At the mountain, the kids receive a snack and homework help. And then they go skiing with their friends for the afternoon. It costs $80 per child for Jan-March. Their local mountain is not Sugarbush. They laugh at me when I talk about skiing there. It’s expensive and crowded. They like their local mountain more.

Skiing can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be.

My cousins and DH all grew up just like this and it wasn’t because they were elite— quite the opposite actually. Of course, DH’s knees are now paying the price for all of that skiing but he still loves it. I prefer cross-country but I grew up doing that more so I’m more comfortable with it than down-hill.

My friend lives in Montana. Friday the schools go to the ski slopes. Everyone skis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can drive an hour and a half and go skiing for the day with rented gear for under $100, including gas.

That’s not elitist.

MAYBE — although adding in round trip for gas, is pushing it — IF you can get a package for a non-weekend day. So, for someone who has $100 to spare for a one-day activity who happens to not have something like a job that requires their presence on a weekday, AND who happened to grow up skiing, so they don’t need expensive lessons, it’s great. Who also don’t have any other kids or family members they need to pay for.

That’s still a small minority of people who are — you got it — elite.

Lots of people have weekly bar tabs that are more than that. Or spend that much on lottery tickets. Or new shoes every week.

Are they elite too?

If they spend $100 a week on new shoes? Yes.

Most people around here don’t do ski trips every week. But I have lots of lower income/SES students that have new shoes every week.

They’re elite then.

Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can drive an hour and a half and go skiing for the day with rented gear for under $100, including gas.

That’s not elitist.

MAYBE — although adding in round trip for gas, is pushing it — IF you can get a package for a non-weekend day. So, for someone who has $100 to spare for a one-day activity who happens to not have something like a job that requires their presence on a weekday, AND who happened to grow up skiing, so they don’t need expensive lessons, it’s great. Who also don’t have any other kids or family members they need to pay for.

That’s still a small minority of people who are — you got it — elite.

Lots of people have weekly bar tabs that are more than that. Or spend that much on lottery tickets. Or new shoes every week.

Are they elite too?

If they spend $100 a week on new shoes? Yes.

Most people around here don’t do ski trips every week. But I have lots of lower income/SES students that have new shoes every week.

They’re elite then.

Got it.

Really? EVERY week new shoes? Liar.

[Anonymous]

+1 liar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

Na, I'm good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something that is expensive doesn’t make it elitist. It’s elitist if people are excluded.

And if it s priced to exclude, then it is elitist. Where are the public ski slopes?

It’s not priced to exclude. It’s expensive to operate a ski resort and the equipment is costly to make, that’s why it’s expensive, not to keep the poors out. There are many things that are expensive because they cost a lot to operate or make. Is flying elitist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

+1! But I think it’s not only part of the problem. What is the sport doing to make itself more appealing and accessible to poc and minorities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

Na, I'm good.

Same! Who wants to buy all that clothing to stay warm that the kids outgrow every year, then ski boots and skis to avoid the long rental lines? Windburn, runny nose, no thank you!