It's below my standards

Question

What's a good phrase to express you don't need to do something because you're a snob and feel it's too lowly or below your social standards? For example, you see a coin on the street but you don't pick it up, or you throw returnable bottles in the trash can instead of returning them for cash. Someone asks why you refuse to do it, what would you reply?

Enoon · Accepted Answer

It's beneath me.

Clive · Answer

Here are a few common phrases.
I wouldn't lower myself to do that.
I wouldn't stoop to that.
That's beneath me.
As you can see, they all figuratively refer to one's height..

Here are some other comments about your post.
'Snob' is derogatory. One is very unlikely to say 'I am a snob'.
Someone who does not recycle would be seen as irresponsible, not as someone of high status.

Clive

Geoyo · Answer

Thank you very much for the suggestions, enoon and Clive. I wouldn't have thought of these. Just to make sure, these phrases can refer to any task, not just to tasks involving physically lowering oneself, as in picking something up?

Regarding "snob", that would be a description of someone saying these phrases, not myself. Regarding the bottles, where I live, returning empty bottles for cash is a task commonly associated with homeless people, they would often gather around places where people are partying, and the party people would give them their empty bottles so they don't have to dispose the bottles themselves. This is a good example where these people might say, "It's beneath me to return the empty bottles". It's not something a wealthy person would do. It's not the recycling as such they want to avoid, but the fact that they don't want to seem like a cheapo for caring about the 10 cents they receive for returning the bottle.

Enoon · Answer

geoyoThank you very much for the suggestions, enoon and Clive. I wouldn't have thought of these. Just to make sure, these phrases can refer to any task, not just to tasks involving physically lowering oneself, as in picking something up?

Right. I consider it beneath me to answer bullies in kind on the Internet.

Geoyo · Answer

Thank you. What's "in kind"?

Enoon · Answer

To answer a bully with bullying is to answer in kind.

Clive · Answer

You might want to review the meaning of the word 'snob'.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snob

You are not a snob if you think you are better than someone else. But you are a snob if you attach excessive importance to that, and if you do not have a good reason, and if you treat the other person badly.

Clive

It's below my standards

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions