I was going by the old idea that to be something you have to assume that you are that something, and if you practice it long enough, you will be that something. Hence, you may be an elitist if you want to be one. Thing is, everyone has a different list of those things you must practice!
Perhaps you end up merely a snob!

You may be an elitist if you want to be an elitist.

I think, if one wants to be an elitist(he/she who knows better than all others), than that is what defines one.

tom

and contrary to rumors... we do read here in the great heartland.

You may be an elitist if you graduated from an Ivy League college.

You maybe an elitist if your net worth is over 2 million dollars.

You may be an elitist if you want to be an elitist.

You may be an elitist if you are a congressman.

You may be an elitist if you are a celebrity.

You may be an elitist if you think you know more than anyone else, and therefore should run things.

You may be an elitist if you act like an obnoxious prig.

If you have to ask, you are not.

No.

A regular Joe is one who does not naturally assume that they know the solution without knowing the situation.

An elitist is one that believes they "know" what is best by virtue of their status, education, or political view and assume that anyone who disagrees with that analysis is just too stoopid to know any better.

If you look at how the word it used in the media, you'll find my definition surprisingly accurate.

No, the non-elitist buys the whole cow on the hoof and has it processed and therefore get it all!!!!

So calling someone a "loser" based on their consumer preferences makes you an elitist? It's hard to see how this argument avoids generalizing out to "there are no better or worse preferences, just different ones", and "there are no better or worse people, just different ones".
After all, there is no way to differentiate human beings, except based on their preferences, of which consumer preferences are an arbitrary subset.

But, to illustrate the point from another way - a guy with a sticker on the back of his Ford, showing Calvin urinating on a Chevy symbol - that guy's an elitist? How about people who think cigarette smokers - or heroin users - are worse people? Are they elitist?

You're making a much broader argument that you recognize by trying to salvage the concept of elitism. Alex is right to say that it's an arbitrary and subjective amalgam of associating certain consumer products with wealth and good breeding.

If you would refuse to use poor folk's favorite brands, then you're an elitist. Either that, or (my preffered explanation) the whole concept is incoherent, but fundamental and applied by anyone, to anyone.

Do you or (your wife) clean your house? (yes)

Do you (or your wife) cook most of your own meals? (yes)

Do your children go to public schools? (I, a union carpenter, fail this test... than again, my son got kicked out of school for "distributing a controlled substance" while carrying a knife on school grounds... maybe that makes up for it?)

Do you own a gun? (you don't have to actually use it)(I do)

Do you clean your own fish? (I do)(no fishing guides on the cricks around here)

Or here is another way:

Shakespeare or Elmore Leonard? (Nah... if you read anything, your an elitist.)(OK, I'll admit it... I like them both)

Beethoven or Willie Nelson? (let me take that 2nd choice back.... Clint Black is better)(Again I will admit I like both Beethoven and Willie... Clint Black is another story.)

Yard bird from the grill with honey mustard barbecue sauce (your grandmother's of course) or Cordon Blue? (forget it... if you know what cordon blue is... your an elitist)(again... both)

Sour mash from a mason jar or Jack Daniels Single Barrel?(hmmm... having a hard time coming up with a snide remark on this one... I prefer Single Malt)

Organic only or "whatever is on sale"? (Even I ain't that picky)

Portabella's or Green Giant mushrooms? (Went into my local small town grocery yesterday... the GG mushroom package in front was half full of a brown colored liquid... the Portabella's? They looked good) (yes, I am that picky)

So what am I? Just another guy makin' his way thru it all.

It might just be that I'm jealous because I can't even afford to buy gas...

You should distinguish between being elite and being an elitist . . . not what you choose but the attitude with which you choose them.

I think that's ultimately right. If you prefer to drink microbrews because you think they taste better than Budweiser and can afford to pay the higher cost, as we both do, that perhaps makes you an elite. If you think it therefore makes you better than the poor losers who drink Bud, you're an elitist.

It's not a matter of preferences as the body of your post might suggest—not what you choose but the attitude with which you choose them.

Also, commenting on someone else's defense of same is elitist.

(Tongue planted firmly in cheek.)