The system isn't a democracy or a meritocracy, it's the system with all its ugliness, obfuscation, ambiguity, complexity and pettiness that comes with it being

The system isn't a democracy or a meritocracy, it's the system with all its ugliness, obfuscation, ambiguity, complexity and pettiness that comes with it being composed of lots of people seeking their own interests. Stop trying to turn it into an abstract philosophical concept. Just deal with it as best as you can, and if you really understand it well or just let dumb luck lead you down the right path you might even be able to hack it like the guy in this story.