http://reagle.org/joseph/2016/myth/myth.html http://reagle.org/joseph/2016/myth/myth.html > Because the word myth has multiple meanings, and the first sense (u

http://reagle.org/joseph/2016/myth/myth.html http://reagle.org/joseph/2016/myth/myth.html > Because the word myth has multiple meanings, and the first sense (unfounded) tends to extinguish the second (an ideal), we are better served by speaking of a meritocratic ideal, imperfect implementations, and naive claims of meritocracy. We should never claim to have a meritocracy, only to aspire to have meritocratic methods; to claim any thing else is naive and inimical to progress toward the ideal.