This feels closely related to an observation I made a long time ago. <<<For the most part different skills are rewarded in different fields, but skill in marke

This feels closely related to an observation I made a long time ago. <<<For the most part different skills are rewarded in different fields, but skill in marketing is practically always rewarded. Therefore, we end up in a world dominated by marketers.>>> Replace "marketing" with more general arts of persuasion, and you get OP's thesis. Rhetorical skill (which is completely orthogonal to other qualities like honesty or sound judgment) is often the surest route to success, across all fields. It's the "ace in the hole" that beats all other cards. People with the gift of gab usually win the race to get their project approved before others, often contrary to objective merit. They get more promotions, likewise. They gain political power. Our lives are influenced more by persuaders than by makers (and BTW social media only make it worse). I detest this fact, but don't feel I can deny it.