Even a staunch defender of meritocracy will admit that life isn't fair if they are honest. The important thing to consider is the benefits afforded by meritocr

Even a staunch defender of meritocracy will admit that life isn't fair if they are honest. The important thing to consider is the benefits afforded by meritocracy. When we have adequate filtering mechanisms to help put competent trustworthy people in positions of power, we get less bridges that collapse, less space shuttles that explode, less government officials demanding bribes, and less subtle failures at many levels of the economy. These failures are years downstream of the decisions that set people on their path in life. Most people have not yet mastered their profession; helping this process along is good for everyone. Those who criticize meritocracy should be honest with themselves as well that these failures can happen.