I think most people put meritocracy and aristocracy on opposite ends of a continuum, in terms of strictly applied denotation. But in practice in America, they'r

I think most people put meritocracy and aristocracy on opposite ends of a continuum, in terms of strictly applied denotation. But in practice in America, they're two sides to the same coin because the aristocrats define what is meritorious and judge who has it, including ensuring their friends and family get access by lowering ladders. That's how meritocracy is a trap, because it inevitably ends up corrupting itself. This scandal tells me is that a bunch of rich people are sad that the ordinary methods of a gamed system already highly in their favor isn't good enough for them. The privilege they have isn't enough, they needed different and additional ladders to get even more, as if this is innovation and is itself merit, that's how brazen it was. Bill McGlashan, CEO of TPG private equity, was indicted in this scandal, charged with both the college entrance exam cheating scheme and recruitment scheme. As reported, even his son's exam answers would be changed (corrected) without his knowledge. How would meritocracy before this scandal have evaluated McGlashan? I think rather highly considering his actions and work with Bono, etc. And yet here he is saying that system isn't good enough for him and his son, he had to corrupt it, to get what he really wanted. It's a stunning indictment of the meritocracy we actually have.