Super Short Summary

In Defense of Elitism by William A. Henry III, a Pulitzer Prize-winning arts critic, argues that the US political culture has shifted from valuing equality of opportunity (labeled "elitism") to pursuing equality of outcome ("egalitarianism"), resulting in a failure to acknowledge the superiority of certain individual achievements and cultures. The book calls for a balanced approach, incorporating tolerance with a recognition of merit. The text discusses sensitive topics including racial affirmative action and perceived faults in American education and culture.