Question: When is one seen as an "elite"?

[Vaelorian]

This question just came to me via vision... :P

Anyway... I just recalled a situation where my guild back in the day went from being number 3 to number 1 on the server.
Before we were always viewed by the server population as a friendly fair decently hardcore guild. But when we topped that 1st place... overnight my guild became: "that guild where everyone thinks they are so elite".

Apart from that... you also have people who think they are elite. So when is that exactly? Or is this just as vague as what the definition of being a casual is?

[Amat]

Everyone better than me is a no-life elitist, everyone worse than me is a total scrub.

[faithbane]

Elite and elitist are different things. As an adjective elite would be superior in quality so yes bumping up to #1 will make you elite overnight since your performance is an indicator of that superiorness

elitism would be about selectiveness. The more selective you are, more criteria and requirements you add to gain permission to enter group, the more "elitist" you would be.

[Shinrael]

This question just came to me via vision... :P

Anyway... I just recalled a situation where my guild back in the day went from being number 3 to number 1 on the server.
Before we were always viewed by the server population as a friendly fair decently hardcore guild. But when we topped that 1st place... overnight my guild became: "that guild where everyone thinks they are so elite".

Apart from that... you also have people who think they are elite. So when is that exactly? Or is this just as vague as what the definition of being a casual is?

It is when one individual or a like-minded group begins considering themselves better than others. This could be true or it might be false, of course. And when other people view you as an elite? When they are perfectly capable of the difference between themselves and you and are jealous of it, and thus they attempt to hurt your pride and put you below themselves so they would feel better about their lack of skill or motivation to attain that skill.

Is what I would throw in as a definition

In my case, I wouldn't consider myself an elite, because I am perfectly aware anyone can do what I have done (not talking about WoW, just in general). But I am also even more perfectly aware, that few people have the motivation, to do what I have done, and thus in reality, I stand out and people see that. And they be hatin. Oh boy they hatin.

[Oneru]

Apart from that... you also have people who think they are elite. So when is that exactly? Or is this just as vague as what the definition of being a casual is?

Check the character portrait: is there a gold dragon? No? Then they're not elite, even if they think they are.

But on topic, it's very vague. For me, elitism is a form of arrogance, considering yourself better or more knowledgeable than someone and flaunting that in a condescending manner. It's difficult to say when exactly someone is elitist, that's mostly personal interpretation.

[Eazy]

If I had to answer that question I'd say that probably first 10 guilds that beat the final boss on the mythic level. But that's just it...

When my guild(Burning Aether - RIP) killed Algalon 10-man as the first guild on the realm then I guess it was something elite would do.

[potis]

This question just came to me via vision... :P

Anyway... I just recalled a situation where my guild back in the day went from being number 3 to number 1 on the server.
Before we were always viewed by the server population as a friendly fair decently hardcore guild. But when we topped that 1st place... overnight my guild became: "that guild where everyone thinks they are so elite".

Apart from that... you also have people who think they are elite. So when is that exactly? Or is this just as vague as what the definition of being a casual is?

Elite = Being ahead of the rest, knowing more than the rest, playing better than the rest, generally being better than the majority.

Elitist= Being annoying about how better you are, acting superior.

An elite player can be an elitist player, but being an elitist doesnt mean you are an elite player.

The problem arises because people can not tell the difference between the two, and because the latter, has many, many more delusional players inside its majority.

[Aucald]

In PvE I'd say "elite" status is being in a guild/raid group that's in the running for Mythic server first for a given raid tier, or has a Mythic tier on farm within the first couple of weeks of its release. In PvP it's being a contender for the Gladiator achievement for a given season.

[BuckSparkles]

Elite is when you act better than people around you. Remember in Wrath some female draenei paladin had shadowmourne and acted like they were the best player that ever was. I remember seeing them on the wow forums once basically telling some guy who was poking fun that they will never account for anything and will always remain mediocre, like...seriously dude? You got a fancy axe in a video game.

[Lochton]

There are no 'elite' on my list. You have Casual and Hardcore players - and I'm talking playstyle.

[Shammyrock]

Golden Dragon around your character portrait

[Deleted]

When they have some mythic mount early on in the expansion

[corebit]

Top guilds listed on Wowprogress are considered "elite."

Everyone else who looks down upon the general playerbase are considered "elitist."

[Saphyron]

so many people don't know the difference between elitist (a derogatory term) and elite (a designation of a person or group)

Elite:
The choice or best of anything considered collectively, as a group of persons.

Elitist:
A person having, thought to have, or professing superior intellect or talent, power, wealth or membership in the upper echelons of society.

To reiterate. An "elite" is someone or a group that is better than others.
An "elitist" is someone or a group thinking they are better than others.