Nerd Notes: the UK's Pretentious Snob Academy?

Or maybe not, but this new initiative in optional education has brought out the snark in the reporter who filed this article. Observe:

It is not so much a school for scoundrels as an academy to turn hooray Henrys into smart Alecs. A new “university of life” will teach its students how to talk at the dinner table, what books to read and how to sneer at British holidaymakers.

A group of philosophers, actors, wits and businessmen has been assembled to offer courses on everything from sparkling table talk to French philosophy.

The School of Life, whose faculty includes Alain de Botton, the philosopher and author, and Luke Johnson, chairman of Channel 4, may appear to critics to be an attempt to bolt intellectual pretentiousness onto old-fashioned snobbery.

Its backers, however, insist it will help clients who have been too busy in the pursuit of money to develop their social skills and intellectual depth.

I wonder if they will have a course entitled "Anti-Americanism 101" or "The Fine Art of Bashing Conservatives" or "Elitist Eye for the Nouveau-Riche Guy" or, best of all, "Communist Chic for Wealthy Poseurs."

UPDATE: I was indulging in a bit of snarky humor myself with my suggested list of courses, but in the interest of fairness, here is the official website of the School of Life. It actually looks rather intriguing. ("Bibliotherapy"!)