I think it is best to think of it as a class that has become close to an inheritable caste especially with the reduction of colleges universities to extremely expensive credentialers. You best be a legacy or to come from a wealthy family to get that credential.

It has become more important, I think, to where a man or woman has gotten their degree instead of what kind or even how much knowledge he has. Wisdom is more of a hindrance, I would say. Just look at the top echelon of American society where it is those who have degrees from the Ivies or from Stanford with precious little of the many other, often still good, colleges represented.