warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
There's no way you can be anything you want. If that was true I would be a successful Antarctic explorer, oil tycoon, and Chelsea FC owner.
Meritocracy and the guilty lie
- Thread starter Cheetah
- Start date
aelf
Ashen One
Let me quote an excellent post from an older thread:
I think meritocracy is nothing but a feel-good term that people use to convince themselves of the predominance of equality of opportunity. There is a legitimate idea that people ought to get the results and positions that they deserve, but the concept of desert is itself fraught with difficulties.
In the end, it's all just about very practical and contingent factors. You get a certain position or a certain result because the opportunity was there and, for reasons to do with luck or ability or both, you're most well placed to take advantage of it. It's true that there's more socio-economic mobility now than, say, a century ago. But that doesn't really prove anything about meritocracy, whether there is such a thing and whether it can be used as a meaningful principle for organising society.
Keeping these things in mind will probably mitigate against great disappointment.
EDIT: Oh, I suppose this is to say that the article is on to something.
I think meritocracy is nothing but a feel-good term that people use to convince themselves of the predominance of equality of opportunity. There is a legitimate idea that people ought to get the results and positions that they deserve, but the concept of desert is itself fraught with difficulties.
In the end, it's all just about very practical and contingent factors. You get a certain position or a certain result because the opportunity was there and, for reasons to do with luck or ability or both, you're most well placed to take advantage of it. It's true that there's more socio-economic mobility now than, say, a century ago. But that doesn't really prove anything about meritocracy, whether there is such a thing and whether it can be used as a meaningful principle for organising society.
Keeping these things in mind will probably mitigate against great disappointment.
EDIT: Oh, I suppose this is to say that the article is on to something.
Narz
keeping it real
Great OP, IMO! Luck is huge & while people have a greater capacity to change than most give themselves credit for most people struggle immensely with issues of self-discipline. I know I do. Not only that but those born rich & connected don't need the level of self-discipline as someone coming from poverty (or those with social/emotional/mental issues).
Work hard, do your best but that doesn't necessarily give you license to judge others as you don't really know what someone has to go thru 'till you've walked a mile in their shoes.
Work hard, do your best but that doesn't necessarily give you license to judge others as you don't really know what someone has to go thru 'till you've walked a mile in their shoes.
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
How the hell is it your place to set the standard for something like that?
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