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Why is this any more corrupt than any other exchange of services for money? Yes, there's a system available to the masses that the super-rich are bypassing usi

Why is this any more corrupt than any other exchange of services for money? Yes, there's a system available to the masses that the super-rich are bypassing using their wealth. The same is true of anyone who flies by private jet, or anyone with private health insurance in a country where the vast majority of the population uses the public health system. Are these things "corrupt"? What's different here? If there's no dishonesty and nobody is harmed, what's the moral issue? Why are universities, unique among all society's institutions, required to operate as perfect meritocracies?

smallgovt 8y ago
>> The same is true of anyone who flies by private jet, or anyone with private health insurance in a country where the vast majority of the population uses the public health system. Are these things "corrupt"? Short answer: The difference lies in the transfer of wealth to the next generation and our meritocratic values. As a society, we have a value system that we implicitly adhere to. At least in the US, meritocracy is big part of our value system. We believe that if you work just as hard and contribute just as much as your neighbor, you deserve to enjoy the same quality of life. So, let's look at some examples: Example A) Person A works his/her ass off and becomes rich off the fruits of his labor. He then spends his riches on private jets and private health insurance. Does this conflict with our meritocratic values? No. He deserves a higher quality of life because he worked his ass off. Example B) Person A then purchases access to an elite university for his child, who as a direct result, enjoys a better life than his poorer peer who works just as hard. Does this conflict with our meritocratic values? Yes. His child didn't deserve their higher quality of life because they didn't work their ass for it. You don't have to agree with meritocratic values, but it explains the difference.
- XCabbage 8y ago
  I'm happy to concede that it's a violation of the ideal of meritocracy, and already did. But so, for that matter, is buying your child a private jet or buying your child health insurance that others can't afford. It's the fact that money is being spent by a parent on a child who hasn't earned it that makes it unmeritocratic. The case of this being done for a university place is still not special, and it's still not corrupt.

smallgovt 8y ago

>> The same is true of anyone who flies by private jet, or anyone with private health insurance in a country where the vast majority of the population uses the public health system. Are these things "corrupt"? Short answer: The difference lies in the transfer of wealth to the next generation and our meritocratic values. As a society, we have a value system that we implicitly adhere to. At least in the US, meritocracy is big part of our value system. We believe that if you work just as hard and contribute just as much as your neighbor, you deserve to enjoy the same quality of life. So, let's look at some examples: Example A) Person A works his/her ass off and becomes rich off the fruits of his labor. He then spends his riches on private jets and private health insurance. Does this conflict with our meritocratic values? No. He deserves a higher quality of life because he worked his ass off. Example B) Person A then purchases access to an elite university for his child, who as a direct result, enjoys a better life than his poorer peer who works just as hard. Does this conflict with our meritocratic values? Yes. His child didn't deserve their higher quality of life because they didn't work their ass for it. You don't have to agree with meritocratic values, but it explains the difference.

XCabbage 8y ago
I'm happy to concede that it's a violation of the ideal of meritocracy, and already did. But so, for that matter, is buying your child a private jet or buying your child health insurance that others can't afford. It's the fact that money is being spent by a parent on a child who hasn't earned it that makes it unmeritocratic. The case of this being done for a university place is still not special, and it's still not corrupt.