Definition
An attitude characterized by self-interest and a willingness to prioritize personal benefit or ambition, often above the welfare of an organization or community; a willingness to elbow (verb) past others.
Origins
Calque of German Ellbogenmentalität or Ellenbogenmentalität, from Ellbogen / Ellenbogen (“elbow”) + Mentalität (“mentality”).
In Context
- "In both samples, hierarchic self-interest, a syndrome of self-enhancing value orientations, sometimes called an ‘elbow mentality’ [Hadjar 2004] or a ‘capitalist mentality’ [Boehnke and Dragolov forthcoming], negatively predicted generalised trust, though once again the effect sizes were quite low."
- "Elbow mentality and competition with the aim of absolute profit maximization seem to drive trade and economic relations."
- "We believe in high fives instead of elbow mentality. This means above all that we help each other, celebrate our successes together and treat each other amicably."
- "Germany's ethics council, an independent body that advises the government, has recommended that no special conditions be granted to the inoculated. It declared it was “currently unacceptable to lift state restrictions on civil liberties”, arguing not only was there a lack of evidence over whether vaccinated people could still spread the virus, but that introducing special privileges for them might encourage an “elbow mentality” which could lead to unrest. If there was to be a priority, it should go to the vaccinated residents of care homes in recognition of the extraordinary burdens they face."