Does this constitute snobbery?

[Conchis]

Yesterday, I worked with a woman in her late fifties who had never heard of Kafka.

I may be wrong (and probably am) but I found this absolutely horrifying, as well as embarrassing. Said woman does not lack formal education and is not a from a materially deprived background....but she had never heard of the Czech novelist, or of his works.

After learning this, I'm afraid I cold-shouldered her for the rest of the day. I just found it embarrassing to be in the same space as someone so casually ignorant.

Does this make me a snob and/or a 'bad person'?

[Bryn]

Yes, and you deserve to have the name of your crime . . .

[richardfinegold]

One who tends to avoid, ignore, or rebuff those who wo one perceives as inferior.

This is one of the definitions of snobbery in the Webster Dictionary. I would say that your behavior is right on the mark.
The woman is to be pitied, perhaps, for a gap in her education, but to be shunned as someone not worth interacting with seems rather hard, doesn’t it?

[Conchis]

[QUOTE=richardfinegold;725787]One who tends to avoid, ignore, or rebuff those who wo one perceives as inferior.

This is one of the definitions of snobbery in the Webster Dictionary. I would say that your behavior is right on the mark.
The woman is to be pitied, perhaps, for a gap in her education, but to be shunned as someone not worth interacting with seems rather hard, doesn’t it?[/QUOTE]

It does. But if she'd been dressed in rags, if she'd spoken with an accent like a flat tyre, had obvious learning difficulties, or been otherwise disadvantaged, I wouldn't have felt the same towards her.

She'd clearly had plenty of opportunities to improve her general knowledge, but hadn't availed herself of them. Lack of (intellectual) curiosity?

I'm pretty sure she knows who David Beckham is!

[Richard Tarleton]

[QUOTE=Conchis;725789]

One who tends to avoid, ignore, or rebuff those who wo one perceives as inferior.

This is one of the definitions of snobbery in the Webster Dictionary. I would say that your behavior is right on the mark.
The woman is to be pitied, perhaps, for a gap in her education, but to be shunned as someone not worth interacting with seems rather hard, doesn’t it?[/QUOTE]

It does. But if she'd been dressed in rag, spoke with an accent like a flat tyre, had obvious learning difficulties, or been otherwise disadvantaged, I wouldn't have felt the same towards her.

She'd clearly had plenty of opportunities to improve her general knowledge, but hadn't availed herself of them. Lack of (intellectual) curiosity?

I'm pretty sure she knows who David Beckham is!

Mrs Beckham is someone else you'd have to cold-shoulder

But seriously - I don't know your line of work, but in mine (I'm now retired) I worked (often/mainly outdoors) with people with little formal education, who nevertheless taught me an immense amount (about what we were doing, and life in general), and whose company I enjoyed and valued enormously. I generally took pains to keep my immense erudition to myself, for fear of making myself obnoxious.

This woman's problem was that she didn't have the excuse of lack of opportunity? But I'm not sure we know enough about the circumstances . Did this woman have any compensating areas of knowledge which added value to her presence in the workplace? Were there other aspects to her persona which you found disagreeable? How did the subject of Kafka even come up?

People on this forum (vinteuil) sometimes mention authors I've never heard of , but would I'm sure be extremely gracious about it were we ever to meet, in spite of my probably having had every opportunity to have known about them. Perhaps "be gracious" is the best advice one can offer.

[Conchis]

[QUOTE=Richard Tarleton;725794]

Mrs Beckham is someone else you'd have to cold-shoulder

But seriously - I don't know your line of work, but in mine (I'm now retired) I worked (often/mainly outdoors) with people with little formal education, who nevertheless taught me an immense amount (about what we were doing, and life in general), and whose company I enjoyed and valued enormously. This woman's problem was that she didn't have that excuse? But I'm not sure we know enough about the circumstances . Did this woman have any compensating areas of knowledge which added value to her presence in the workplace? Were there other aspects to her persona which you found disagreeable? How did the subject of Kafka even come up?

People on this forum (vinteuil) sometimes mention authors I've never heard of , but would I'm sure be extremely gracious about it were we ever to meet, in spite of my probably having had every opportunity to have known about them. Perhaps "be gracious" is the best advice one can offer.

I won't be working with her again - and it was only chance that threw us in each other's paths, so to speak.

[BBMmk2]

Yes it is snobbery but, it’s human frailty. I’ve never heard of that author. Does that make me inferior? No.

[LMcD]

I think that somebody who hasn't heard of Kafka is to be congratulated, as he or she will probably have thereby avoided wasting valuable time wondering what on earth the miserable git was on about.
Oh yes - in answer to your original question, I would say it certainly does! (What is the relevance, if any, of the lady's age? Perhaps you could keep in touch in the hope that she might discover Mr K in the fullness of time )

[Richard Barrett]

Yes, and you deserve to have the name of your crime . . .

Anyway: yes, obviously it's snobbish to look down on someone because of some deficiency in her education or experience which is almost certainly no fault of her own.

[doversoul1]

I am too snobbish to admit that I was horrified and embarrassed when I found that someone had not heard of Kafka.

[Conchis]

I think that somebody who hasn't heard of Kafka is to be congratulated, as he or she will probably have thereby avoided wasting valuable time wondering what on earth the miserable git was on about.
Oh yes - in answer to your original question, I would say it certainly does! (What is the relevance, if any, of the lady's age? Perhaps you could keep in touch in the hope that she might discover Mr K in the fullness of time )

She admitted to being '58', even though there was no necessity to reveal her age.

I don't like Kafka, either: I think The Trial is a poorly written and conceived work, even though its theme might be interesting. But never to have heard of him....!

And, as I said, I'm pretty sure she had the same educational opportunities as I did.

[MrGongGong]

Even though many people might not recognise the name, anyone who has had dealings with the DWP will understand what "Kafkaesque" means

[teamsaint]

My brother had the same educational opportuniies as me. He’s had a good career and all thst stuff.

If he has heard of Kafka, it’ll be by chance, and I’d be amazed if he knew anything about his work at all.

He just inhabits a rather, well very, different world to me. i’ll be staying in touch with him ........

[oddoneout]

She knew nothing of someone you consider important - does that make her a deficient person? No. It doesn't reflect well on you in my opinion though to consider her so. It's hardly in the same league of unacceptable behaviour as, for instance, racist views, which might justify shunning her company. We all have gaps in our education and experience, some of which may seem deplorable or difficult to understand to others.
I have heard of Kafka, and I have gleaned some sense from context of what 'Kafkaesque' means; I have read nothing of his, and it isn't on my to-do list. If you felt her lack was so detrimental did you try and enlighten her as to what she is missing?

[Pulcinella]

Many of the Year 6 children in the primary school where I help out have not been inside York Minster, though it is on their doorstep.
I would NEVER dismiss them from my circle for that: rather, I encourage them to visit it.
I wonder who is the more relieved not to be working with each other again, you or the 58yo?

Yes, you are a snob, but at least in slight mitigation you recognise it.