5 ms·
The more exposure I've gotten to "impressive" organizations and individuals, the more convinced I've become that competence isn't any more common at all as one
by yamtaddle 4y ago
The more exposure I've gotten to "impressive" organizations and individuals, the more convinced I've become that competence isn't any more common at all as one goes up the chain. Not less common! Some of them really are bright & have a level head! But also not more common.
It's kind of heartening to realize that the world's mostly run by the incompetent—they're really not any brighter than you or me, and blissfully-ignorantly commit obvious errors or behave irrationally all the time. You could do it too! Why not, a bunch of them are idiots. But it's also horrifying.
Whatever "meritocracy" we supposedly have, as far as I can tell, is a total fiction. Some good, capable people rise, but enough bad ones also do that the proportion's not really any better the closer you get to the top.
- enraged_camel 4y ago>> Whatever "meritocracy" we supposedly have, as far as I can tell, is a total fiction. Worth noting that the term "meritocracy" was invented as satire: https://kottke.org/17/03/the-satirical-origins-of-the-meritocracy https://kottke.org/17/03/the-satirical-origins-of-the-merito...
- chasing 4y agoI mean, in tech it's often a "meritocracy amongst those with privilege." If you ain't in the club, you're not getting in based on "merit."
- andirk 4y agoIn American politics, one truly fails UP. Being an honest, decent human being is seen as a negative and probably in part because it is a threat to the rest of the scumbags. But I believe that some highly trained scientists who are at the top of their respective fields are there because they're the best of their breed. Maybe not, but I doubt the good ol boys club is that status quo in all industries.
- EGreg 4y agoSteve Jobs said this 40 years ago: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw
- ignoramous 4y agoRead also: There's no speed limit (sivers.org), https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3761013 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3761013
- JohnFen 4y ago> competence isn't any more common at all as one goes up the chain 100% this. That's why the old saying "everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time" exists. However fancy the image, however impressive the title, the person behind it is no more likely to be exceptional than any other random person.