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>we have a system where money and power flow to the "best and brightest". Yes, this is called autonomy. It's the basis of evolution, scientific inquiry, every
by QuarterReptile 4y ago
>we have a system where money and power flow to the "best and brightest".
Yes, this is called autonomy. It's the basis of evolution, scientific inquiry, every concept underpinning democracy and freedom, technological progress, decreased infant and all-cause mortality, reduced poverty/starvation/privation/exploitation, and even the very idea that it's worth understanding or investigating anything at all.
- s17n 4y agoAll the good stuff you're talking about was a result of the Enlightenment, which didn't happen in a meritocratic society, it happened in semi-aristocratic society which had extremely powerful concepts of social class. Even 70 years ago in America, "gifted and talented" programs in education weren't so controversial because success in school wasn't as important - eg an Asian person wasn't going to become the CEO of a major corporation regardless of their grades. Obviously, I'm not suggesting that we should return to that world, but meritocracy is also bad. The solution is egalitarianism and democracy.
- QuarterReptile 4y agoThe good stuff I listed far exceeds the scope of the enlightenment, having happened for long before the enlightenment started. Meritocracy certainly has negative consequences, as do all systems, including egalitarianism and democracy. Putting full faith in any of these systems is a reliable road to evil.