Accusations of selling out depend on the intellectual’s fame level.

Evidence

Lett’s commentary represents more than a mean-spirited misrepresentation of the complexity of Dyson’s work; more often than not, it appears to be symptomatic of the elitist posturing of a white academic unaware of (or unconcerned about) his own racial privileges, who exhibits a disdain for minority intellectuals who gain public recognition as they address a variety of public cultures. For Lott, Michael Dyson’s diasporic writings and public recognition suggest that he has sold out, but for lesser known black intellectuals such as cultural critic, Armand White, similar forms of border crossings become oppositional. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2652

Categorization

• SEED: Angle: the asymmetry of ‘selling out’ accusations — fame determines whether boundary-crossing reads as oppositional or as betrayal.