Flippant, smartass answer: elitism is too elite to define.
Real answer: I tend to agree with some of the previous posters' definition of elitism, both the positive and the negative. Striving to excel is something that should be encouraged, even if a person's definition of excellence is somewhat different from the accepted norm.
The toxic kind of elitism is evidenced by certain players on the Asura server- those who demand REMA for E Ambuscade and who belittle others for possessing fewer than, say, ten REMA.
Now, not every player is prepared for all content. There's a progression that should be loosely followed; shortcuts such as paying a merc exist, but don't give experience that teaches a player how to best clear content.
Disclosure- yeah, I merc. It's a valid way to earn gil, and as long as you aren't price-gouging your clients it's acceptable in my eyes. Maybe it isn't for you;if it isn't, then don't do it. I do things for free a lot of the time also, but when a person shouts to purchase gear or content, they have a reason for doing so. That's their business, not the collective antimerc white knight community,so please don't interfere. Thanks in advance.
The lack of experience with content has nothing to do with elitism in its truest sense, though- inexperience is just that, and guess what?
I wasn't born knowing how to clear content and neither were you, so do people a favor and don't be a *** about lack of knowledge. Ignorance is not knowing, while stupidity is the refusal to learn.
One is excusable and the other is not.
Edits- autocorrect is not elite