drawbridge mentality

English

Noun

drawbridge mentality

1. An attitude that is concerned with protecting one's privileged status rather than extending that privilege to others.
   • 2007, Richard Zagranski, ‎William T. Whigham, ‎Patrice L. Dardenne, Understanding Standards-Based Education, page 17:

     Now, one might think that most teachers would welcome the traditional approach, with its anonymity and its drawbridge mentality, but they really don't. The vast majority of teachers are conscientious people who truly want to do the best job possible for the students.

   • 2012, Phillip Vannini, Ferry Tales: Mobility, Place, and Time on Canada's West Coast:

     "Yeah, some people have a drawbridge mentality, ” remarks Barry. "They move to an island and then they think that nobody else should be let in after them. [...] "

   • 2018, Jens Lind, ‎Iver Hornemann Møller, Inclusion and Exclusion:

     And while Danish labour market policies and labour rights have been very little deregulated, the British population have experienced such great changes in their social mode of regulation that some commentators talk about a 'drawbridge mentality', where concern is directed at making sure yourself are inside the castle rather than caring about what happens to those who are not.