Origins of Mass and Elite

Constantine Mitzotakis, a professor at Stanford, shares how his high school experience in a diverse environment heightened his awareness of class structures. This sensitivity influenced his study of Demosthenes, leading to insights on elite and non-elite dynamics. His dissertation revealed contradictions in Demosthenes' speeches, sparking interest in how individuals claim elite status. Mitzotakis' work explores the complexities of social hierarchies and privilege.

What influenced Constantine Mitzotakis to focus on class structures in his studies?

• His exposure to elite education

• His experiences in a comfortable middle-class environment

• His interactions with Athenian citizens

• His personal experiences in a troubled high school

How did Mitzotakis' high school experience differ from his upbringing?

• He moved to a more elite school

• He transferred to a troubled high school

• He was homeschooled

• He attended a private school

What sparked Mitzotakis' interest in the relationship between elites and non-elites?

• His reading of Demosthenes' speeches

• His interactions with elite private school students

• His observations of educational disparities

• His study of military changes after the Peloponnesian War

What contradiction did Mitzotakis find in Demosthenes' speeches?

• Demosthenes praised both the elite and the ordinary people

• Demosthenes criticized the Athenian citizens

• Demosthenes supported military changes

• Demosthenes claimed to be both elite and a regular person

What challenge does Mitzotakis highlight regarding claims to elite privilege?

• The need for private education

• The complexity of military changes

• The inability of some to make claims to elite status

• The difficulty of understanding Demosthenes' speeches