It’s definitely true that that is one of the fears being peddled(and a particularly dangerous one since the ‘enemy’ it postulates is highly vulnerable and at serious risk, economically and physically, if put ‘back in their place’); but it is pretty amazing how effectively ‘culture war’ stuff has been used to sell the idea that “the elite” is people with liberal arts degrees from fancy schools who live in coastal population centers; rather than, say, the people who own the commanding heights of the economy.
Said elbow-patched lit-crit stereotypes aren’t facing the same level of danger(like anyone foolish enough to ‘work’ rather than living off capital gains, they aren’t on the winning team; but white guys with reasonably prestigious educations aren’t first against the wall, either economically or in terms of overt violence); but their demonization has given a great deal of freedom to the actually elite elites in terms of being able to court reactionary voters without being pushed too hard on their role in those voters’ dissatisfaction(see also, basically the entire Trump cabinet).
These ‘liberal elites’ aren’t being placed directly in the line of fire the way women and minorities are; but I’m astounded at how effectively they are used as a smokescreen.
