I understand that criticism but i would urge people to focus on the contrast between working with just your hands vs head vs heart. That, and i think anyone who aspires to become an "artist" in a trade is on the right path.
There are a lot of ways to deconstruct a one dimensional artists > craftsmen > laborers point of view because it is overly simplistic.
If people are elitists at work and they're snooty about it, why stop them?
I would not want to stop people being elitist, only for those who are to understand that their behaviour has a cost on at least some of those around them.