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Wow, that article: "meritocratic inequality". How would "meritocratic equality" look like!? Interesting how the rich were blamed for being fat cats and not are

Wow, that article: "meritocratic inequality". How would "meritocratic equality" look like!? Interesting how the rich were blamed for being fat cats and not are blamed for overworking so much they win the race. It seems some people are genuinely surprised there's more to money and status than just having the newest phone.

strogonoff 6y ago
> How would "meritocratic equality" look like!? I believe the article suggests things such as (but not only) changing education to be more accessible and inclusive, and making work done by employees without expensive education more valuable across industries. > are blamed for overworking so much they win the race. The point here is also that, while “winning the race” thanks to their hard work and abilities, under meritocracy as it is elites also produce more and more inequality in longer term, raising the bar and blocking middle and lower classes from opportunities. (I would tentatively posit that the existence of a race to be won is the problem here.)
- fierarul 6y ago
  Honestly it would be nice to stop beating around the bush and declare your end goal: communism. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". "Meritocratic equality" is an oxymoron. You can only attain it if what you are measuring applies to everybody, like, say, having a pulse. The world is hyper-competitive. I don't believe the US will fare well with this excellent strategy.
  - strogonoff 6y ago
    > Honestly it would be nice to stop beating around the bush and declare your end goal: communism. First, let’s agree on whether we both believe the problem with meritocracy, as it works currently, is real. If you don’t believe so, then there’s no sense in continuing. Second, if the only solution you see is communism, don’t attribute the same outlook to me. As far as I’m aware, if communist regimes so far are any indication, communism could only make the situation worse with blatant nepotism if nothing else. What if, if a solution you can think of off the top of your head is horrible, all it means is that the problem is just not that easy to solve?
    - fierarul 6y ago
      If you want to promote the idea that there's more to life than work and that one could focus more on family, nature and the arts by all means. But saying that capable people must bend the knee so somebody less capable also gets a turn at 1st prize makes we wonder want kind of morality asks that, accepts that and takes pride in finally winning that way.
      - strogonoff 6y ago
        No one is forced to bend the knee but recognising that meritocracy doesn't live up to its promise and is anti-egalitarian in long term may be welcome.

strogonoff 6y ago

> How would "meritocratic equality" look like!? I believe the article suggests things such as (but not only) changing education to be more accessible and inclusive, and making work done by employees without expensive education more valuable across industries. > are blamed for overworking so much they win the race. The point here is also that, while “winning the race” thanks to their hard work and abilities, under meritocracy as it is elites also produce more and more inequality in longer term, raising the bar and blocking middle and lower classes from opportunities. (I would tentatively posit that the existence of a race to be won is the problem here.)

fierarul 6y ago
Honestly it would be nice to stop beating around the bush and declare your end goal: communism. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". "Meritocratic equality" is an oxymoron. You can only attain it if what you are measuring applies to everybody, like, say, having a pulse. The world is hyper-competitive. I don't believe the US will fare well with this excellent strategy.
- strogonoff 6y ago
  > Honestly it would be nice to stop beating around the bush and declare your end goal: communism. First, let’s agree on whether we both believe the problem with meritocracy, as it works currently, is real. If you don’t believe so, then there’s no sense in continuing. Second, if the only solution you see is communism, don’t attribute the same outlook to me. As far as I’m aware, if communist regimes so far are any indication, communism could only make the situation worse with blatant nepotism if nothing else. What if, if a solution you can think of off the top of your head is horrible, all it means is that the problem is just not that easy to solve?
  - fierarul 6y ago
    If you want to promote the idea that there's more to life than work and that one could focus more on family, nature and the arts by all means. But saying that capable people must bend the knee so somebody less capable also gets a turn at 1st prize makes we wonder want kind of morality asks that, accepts that and takes pride in finally winning that way.
    - strogonoff 6y ago
      No one is forced to bend the knee but recognising that meritocracy doesn't live up to its promise and is anti-egalitarian in long term may be welcome.