Deconstructing meritocracy..

[Magical Realist]

“Meritocracy is a false and not very salutary belief. As with any ideology, part of its draw is that it justifies the status quo, explaining why people belong where they happen to be in the social order. It is a well-established psychological principle that people prefer to believe that the world is just.

However, in addition to legitimization, meritocracy also offers flattery. Where success is determined by merit, each win can be viewed as a reflection of one’s own virtue and worth. Meritocracy is the most self-congratulatory of distribution principles. Its ideological alchemy transmutes property into praise, material inequality into personal superiority. It licenses the rich and powerful to view themselves as productive geniuses. While this effect is most spectacular among the elite, nearly any accomplishment can be viewed through meritocratic eyes. Graduating from high school, artistic success or simply having money can all be seen as evidence of talent and effort. By the same token, worldly failures becomes signs of personal defects, providing a reason why those at the bottom of the social hierarchy deserve to remain there. ("A Belief in Meritocracy Is Not Only False: It’s Bad for You", Aeon)”
― Clifton Mark

When you really think about it, this ideology or pseudo-ethic of only acquiring things and privileges because you have earned them is essentially flawed for several reason. One reason is because it is simply not true. Most all wealth and status is conferred upon oneself and not won as some sort of prize or reward. Rich families invariably inherit most their wealth and entrepreneur billionaires play the system in ways that maximize their profits. Secondly, even the whole conception of ownership has its origins in being provided for as kids until we reach the age of 20. All the things one claims as one's own up to the age of 20 are literally handed to us without having to deserve it. And thirdly, to use the metaphor of running in and winning a race, the field is never level from the get-go. While many have been gifted a headstart in the race, others are way behind the starting line--a disadvantage that continues to exert its undermining influence or burden thruout the duration of the race.

So where does this ideology of merited ownership come from? It comes from our capitalist system, which operates on the premise that opportunity is an equally distributed commodity accessible to all people as long as you prove yourself deserving of it. So everybody unquestioningly goes out and finds jobs/careers that raise their status/reputation as successful achievers of the materialist dream. Like hamsters in a wheel cage we are always striving for the prize--the promise of not having to struggle for it anymore! Even going to college imposes this notion of merit on students, rewarding them with degrees that evidently they worked hard for and so deserve.

So when conservatives cite merit as the true standard of value of individuals in a society, they are only parroting an unrealistic ideal or false narrative they have been taught by the system. In the meantime true ownership and privilege was never something you could earn or win. It is something inherently to being a human being--the inalienable right to to life, liberty, and the unhindered pursuit of one's own happiness.

[Syne]

Meritocracy doesn't justify why people belong were they are. It explains why some people aren't where they want to be. Wealth and status are conferred, but for reasons which usually involve others seeing value. IOW, wealth and status are not conferred out of charity. Playing word games, to hide that fact, don't erase it. In the US, economic mobility is relatively high.

In the United States, approximately 34% of people born into the bottom 50% of the income distribution manage to climb into the top 50% as adults. Conversely, approximately 34% of people born into the top 50% fall into the bottom 50% as adults.
- Gemini

Pretending that all wealth is inherited or that the rich only game the system, without providing any desired products, creating jobs, etc., is refusing to see half of the reality. Granted, it's a very comforting view... that your own circumstances have little to nothing to do with your effort or objective value to others. But if that were true, markets would not work, because that would mean that supply and demand have little to no effect. Arguing that charity to children somehow refutes our value to others, even though many parents also reward children for merit, just infantilizes the entire human race.

Meritocracy predates capitalism.

The foundational concepts of meritocracy—selecting leaders based on ability rather than birthright—predate modern capitalism by centuries, notably with the Imperial examination system in China used as early as the Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD). While often linked today, meritocracy and capitalism are distinct concepts with separate histories.

Meritocracy (rewarding talent/effort over birthright) originated in ancient Chinese philosophy (6th century BC) and was adopted in the 20th century to replace aristocratic privilege. Ownership, or private property, traces back to early agrarian societies where sedentary lifestyles allowed for accumulation.
- Gemini

So capitalism cannot be the origin of meritocracy. Ownership stems from the ethic that an individual has a right to the fruits of their own labor. The converse of this is slavery, to one degree or another, where you cannot benefit, personally, from your own labor.

34% of people prove that success based on merit is possible, otherwise 34% wouldn't also fail by their merit. But those that have no skills/talents and will not put in the effort will always want the comforting justification that they really had no opportunity... even when they never take/capitalize on the ones they do have. It's a common excuse of leftists who are useless, have useless college degrees, etc.. They think meritocracy isn't real because they receive or desire welfare, nepotism, etc..

[C C]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy

Meritocracy is the notion of a political system in which economic goods or political power are vested in individual people based on ability and talent, rather than wealth or social class. Advancement in such a system is based on performance, as measured through examination or demonstrated achievement.

[...] The contemporary conception of meritocracy is at least twofold.

On the one hand, it describes a social system based on the notion that individuals are rewarded and advance in society as a result of their talent and effort. This conception presupposes social mobility and equality of opportunity.

On the other hand, meritocracy can be understood as an ideological discourse grounded in different belief systems, that manifest themselves in different forms such as social democratic and neoliberal conceptions of meritocracy.

Most Americans, across nearly all demographics, believe college admissions, hiring and promotions should be based on qualifications and performance, not social factors. This is according to a private opinion research survey conducted by think-tank, Populace.

The appointment of RFK Jr to Secretary of Health and Human Services could be considered an example of anti-meritocracy or anti-elitism slash anti-expertise. He has no formal qualifications and background for medical related matters.

Somewhat akin to nepotism, both old-time white favoritism (WF) and its inverse of positive discrimination (PD) might be conceived as mild anti-meritocracy. Since inheritance factors (just like family descent in aristocracy) are the tipping point in selection rather than acquired abilities, experience, and knowledge. That includes sexual and gender orientations in the context of PD if one considers those to be innate in origin, not just tipping choice based on inherited identities like race or ethnicity and biological sex.

[Magical Realist]

Meritocracy doesn't justify why people belong were they are. It explains why some people aren't where they want to be. Wealth and status are conferred, but for reasons which usually involve others seeing value. IOW, wealth and status are not conferred out of charity. Playing word games, to hide that fact, don't erase it. In the US, economic mobility is relatively high.

Meritocracy creates a pseudo-explanation for poverty and unemployment and homelessness by shifting the cause for it from socially-systemic bias and prejudice and generational poverty to a blame game of racially and ethnically-specific character flaws. You know..like laziness and undermotivation and dishonesty etc. Which is just the dressed-up notion of white protestant identity being superior and ideal all over again. But a system that favors and is tailor-made to work well for the majority of white protestants over minority non-white ethnicities is itself the problem. IOW, you can't hand wave away wealth and job disparities in the system by demoralizing whole classes of people who the system doesn't seem to be working well for. The whole notion of equality of opportunity assumes equal education and ambition and wealth and available resources across the board regardless of race or ethnicity when clearly there is not.

But those that have no skills/talents and will not put in the effort will always want the comforting justification that they really had no opportunity

IOW those who couldn't afford an education or were held back by other circumstances by poverty itself which fosters criminality and drugs and dysfunctional families and mental illness and juvenile delinquency. Not to mention the very widespread social stigma of being against hiring non-white races and ethnicities in the first place. You can't claim that opportunities are all equally accessible when there are clearly inequalities in that access as well as in the range of options available for low income families/kids compared to those of middle income families/kids.

[Syne]

There are no social-systemic hurdles to success. There are hurdles specific to particular cultures and how they view things like victimhood, opportunity, etc.. But these are not the biggest predictors of success or failure, except where they intersect within the same culture, like fatherless homes, lack of high school graduation, having children out of wedlock, etc.. Generational poverty is largely due to welfare, where you have generations of learned helplessness.

You cannot claim systemic problems without being able to point to specific problems and propose specific solutions. But what it pointed at, nowadays, is always some subjective interpretation that doesn't hold all people, of any race, back uniformly.

But notice how this fails to address any point I made, about wealth and status only being a thing because what is produced is valued by others.

Hard work requires no education, but the left has made it a mission to destroy the educational value of public schools, especially in poor urban areas where Democrats hold the most power. Yes, cultures that incentivize or glamorize gang activity, fatherless homes, etc. will be a hurdle. But culture is not dictated by the system. Culture is upstream of politics.

[Magical Realist]

There are no social-systemic hurdles to success. There are hurdles specific to particular cultures and how they view things like victimhood, opportunity, etc.. But these are not the biggest predictors of success or failure, except where they intersect within the same culture, like fatherless homes, lack of high school graduation, having children out of wedlock, etc..

Ten examples of systemic racism in the U.S.

https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issue...ic-racism/

Generational poverty is largely due to welfare, where you have generations of learned helplessness.

Wow..so you're claiming welfare causes poverty? How is it then that to even qualify for such a benefit you have to show that you are at poverty level already? Is poverty just a lie for non-white single moms to use to scam the govt out of money?

You cannot claim systemic problems without being able to point to specific problems and propose specific solutions. But what it pointed at, nowadays, is always some subjective interpretation that doesn't hold all people, of any race, back uniformly.

Sure I can and I just did. Nobody has to propose a solution to a problem to point out the existence of a problem. That's a ridiculous claim.

But notice how this fails to address any point I made, about wealth and status only being a thing because what is produced is valued by others.

Hence the basis of meritocracy in capitalist principles. The entrepreneur becomes the gifted innovative genius that boosts the economy. A selfless hero working for the good of others.

[Syne]

There are no social-systemic hurdles to success. There are hurdles specific to particular cultures and how they view things like victimhood, opportunity, etc.. But these are not the biggest predictors of success or failure, except where they intersect within the same culture, like fatherless homes, lack of high school graduation, having children out of wedlock, etc..

Ten examples of systemic racism in the U.S.

https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issue...ic-racism/

Black K-12 students are almost 4 times more likely than white students to get one or more out-of-school suspensions. Black girls in particular face discrimination. They’re 5.5 times more likely to be suspended compared to white girls, while Native American girls are 3.3 times more likely to face suspension.

Yes, there are some cultural difference in the kinds of behavior that are allowed. When there are no fathers in the home, many children behave much worse.

School districts with the most Black, Native, and Latino students get significantly less revenue than districts with fewer students of color.

Public schools are largely funded by property tax revenue. When your community has high crime rates, property values go down.
Instead of addressing crime, Democrats allow cashless bail and early release of criminals and don't allow school choice. Their policies say they want to keep those children in high crime and bad schools.

In one study, after adjusting for factors like standardized test scores, researchers found Black students were 54% less likely to be referred to gifted-education programs.

Considering Democrat policies exacerbate these problems, and most teachers are Democrats, it's no wonder their racism has an impact.

Approximately 58% of public K-12 teachers in the United States identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center report. This makes teachers more likely to support Democrats than the general public, where 47% identify with or lean toward the party.
Key Details on Teacher Political Affiliation:

Party Breakdown: About 35% of public school teachers identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, while the remaining percentage are unaffiliated or hold other views.
Campaign Contributions: In the 2022 election cycle, 68% of campaign contributions from K-12 teachers went to Democratic candidates or committees.
Regional Differences: While Democratic, teachers in rural districts are more evenly split; a 2024 survey showed 45% of rural educators supported Donald Trump compared to 44% for Kamala Harris.
- Gemini

The authors did not collect or analyze any data regarding the political leanings, voting records, or partisan affiliations of the educators.
- Gemini

9_9

Systemic racism in housing has a long history. The National Housing Act of 1934 formalized redlining.

Signed by Democrat FDR.

Food insecurity refers to a lack of access to adequate food. That could include a lack of grocery stores nearby or a lack of stores with high-quality, affordable food.

Crime drives out businesses.

Systemic racism in healthcare is still prevalent.

Most primary care physicians (PCPs) are Democrats, though the exact percentage varies depending on the specific medical specialty within primary care.
According to data compiled by the New York Times from voter registration records, the political breakdown of major primary care fields reveals a clear lean toward the Democratic party:

Pediatricians: Over 67% are registered Democrats, making it one of the most politically left-leaning fields in all of medicine.
Internal Medicine Physicians: A solid majority of registered internal medicine doctors identify as Democrats.
Geriatricians & Endocrinologists: These subspecialties also feature a majority of registered Democrats.
- Gemini

9_9

Racial discrimination begins early in the criminal justice system with policing and surveillance.

So does a disproportionate crime rate.

Environmental racism is a form of systemic racism related to the locations of landfills, hazardous waste disposals, chemical plants, and other environmentally-harmful structures.

You mean we put crappy stuff in crappy neighborhoods? Again, crime rate.

Race and immigration policies in the United States have always been closely aligned. It’s all about who the US considers worthy of citizenship.

Yes, any country gets to choose people who align with its national values. Not every third-worlder qualifies.

Generational poverty is largely due to welfare, where you have generations of learned helplessness.

Wow..so you're claiming welfare causes poverty? How is it then that to even qualify for such a benefit you have to show that you are at poverty level already? Is poverty just a lie to non-white single mom's use to scam the govt out of money?

I've explained this before:

Generational poverty occurs when someone is raised in welfare dependency and learns that as a habit of behavior. If welfare was more successful than a 70% failure rate, you would have fewer children learning that pattern of behavior.

I've known people, personally, who've told me they earned more on welfare than they could at a job. Have you ever even known anyone on welfare? @_@

You cannot claim systemic problems without being able to point to specific problems and propose specific solutions. But what it pointed at, nowadays, is always some subjective interpretation that doesn't hold all people, of any race, back uniformly.

Sure I can and I just did. Nobody has to propose a solution to a problem to point out the existence of a problem. That's a ridiculous claim.

Calling it "systemic racism" doesn't make that the problem, especially when so many Democrats and their policies are the causes.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1270268415088906

But notice how this fails to address any point I made, about wealth and status only being a thing because what is produced is valued by others.

What evidence do you have for this claim?

Do you ever buy anything? Why? Because you think it has no value? @_@

[Magical Realist]

Black K-12 students are almost 4 times more likely than white students to get one or more out-of-school suspensions. Black girls in particular face discrimination. They’re 5.5 times more likely to be suspended compared to white girls, while Native American girls are 3.3 times more likely to face suspension.

Yes, there are some cultural difference in the kinds of behavior that are allowed. When there are no fathers in the home, many children behave much worse.
School districts with the most Black, Native, and Latino students get significantly less revenue than districts with fewer students of color.

You cite these inequalities between whites and non-whites by claiming it to be the result of the non-white's own cultural effects. What about our American culture? Does not this even exert a more powerful and sustained effect on the ability of minorities to succeed and thrive as well as whites do? And what about our culture is limiting the options and opportunities of minorities?

I've explained this before:
(Aug 11, 2024 03:25 PM)Syne Wrote:
Generational poverty occurs when someone is raised in welfare dependency and learns that as a habit of behavior. If welfare was more successful than a 70% failure rate, you would have fewer children learning that pattern of behavior.
I've known people, personally, who've told me they earned more on welfare than they could at a job. Have you ever even known anyone on welfare? @_@

Most all welfare is dispensed on an agreed-upon temporary basis and is conditional upon the recipient looking for work and striving to become self-supportive. That prevents it from ever becoming a crutch that simply fosters more dependency to being more of a step ladder or a hand up that rescues impoverished families in dire need of some temporary support.

Calling it "systemic racism" doesn't make that the problem, especially when so many Democrats and their policies are the causes.

How does providing more opportunities for education and employment and healthcare and housing "cause" the problem? These problems pre-exist these attempts to solve them, so they can't also be the cause of them. The problem must be baked into our culture itself, particularly when it is seen to be occurring even to families without any federal assistance.

But notice how this fails to address any point I made, about wealth and status only being a thing because what is produced is valued by others.

Do you ever buy anything? Why? Because you think it has no value?

Hence the basis of meritocracy in capitalist principles. The entrepreneur becomes the gifted innovative genius that boosts the economy while the impoverished become the stereotypical underachievers and leeches too lazy or weak to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

[Syne]

Black K-12 students are almost 4 times more likely than white students to get one or more out-of-school suspensions. Black girls in particular face discrimination. They’re 5.5 times more likely to be suspended compared to white girls, while Native American girls are 3.3 times more likely to face suspension.

Yes, there are some cultural difference in the kinds of behavior that are allowed. When there are no fathers in the home, many children behave much worse.
School districts with the most Black, Native, and Latino students get significantly less revenue than districts with fewer students of color.

You cite these inequalities between whites and non-whites by claiming it to be the result of the non-white's own cultural effects. What about our American culture? Does not this even exert a more powerful and sustained effect on the ability of minorities to succeed and thrive as well as whites do? And what about our culture is limiting the options and opportunities of minorities?

Black culture exerts a profound, foundational influence on general American culture, shaping its global identity. While historically marginalized, Black Americans have driven the evolution of American music, language, fashion, and social movements.
- Gemini

I've explained this before:
(Aug 11, 2024 03:25 PM)Syne Wrote:
Generational poverty occurs when someone is raised in welfare dependency and learns that as a habit of behavior. If welfare was more successful than a 70% failure rate, you would have fewer children learning that pattern of behavior.
I've known people, personally, who've told me they earned more on welfare than they could at a job. Have you ever even known anyone on welfare? @_@

Most all welfare is dispensed on an agreed-upon temporary basis and is conditional upon the recipient looking for work and striving to become self-supportive. That prevents it from ever becoming a crutch that simply fosters more dependency to being more of a step ladder or a hand up that rescues impoverished families in dire need of some temporary support.

So you've never known anyone on welfare. Got it.
Federal cash assistance is capped at five years, but many states extend that and some have no limit at all. Many other assistance benefits, like SNAP, have no limit, only very minimal work requirements. But you can also avoid the work requirement if you have a mental disability (including mood & anxiety disorders, with no diagnosis requirement), are pregnant, in a substance abuse program, or at least a half-time student.
Many loopholes.

Calling it "systemic racism" doesn't make that the problem, especially when so many Democrats and their policies are the causes.

How does providing more opportunities for education and employment and healthcare and housing "cause" the problem? These problems pre-exist these attempts to solve them, so they can't also be the cause of them. The problem must be baked into our culture itself, particularly when it is seen to be occurring even to families without any federal assistance.

What opportunities in education? Most failing urban majority black schools have no choice due to Democrats fighting tooth and nail against school choice. Students trapped in failing schools are then set up for failure in college. How does housing projects, section 8, or home loans people can't keep up with helping them? Seems to just concentrate them in ghettos, where racial segregation is the more extreme in Democrat-run cities and states.

If they are helping in education, employment, healthcare, and housing, where are the positive results? @_@

But notice how this fails to address any point I made, about wealth and status only being a thing because what is produced is valued by others.

Do you ever buy anything? Why? Because you think it has no value?

Hence the basis of meritocracy in capitalist principles. The entrepreneur becomes the gifted innovative genius that boosts the economy while the impoverished become the stereotypical underachievers too lazy or dumb to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

Couldn't answer the simple question, huh?
If you buy things, it follows that you value those things more than what they cost you. Hence you value the contribution of others.
The only alternative systems are where monopolies or the state plays favorites, and the quality of products without fair competition necessarily deteriorates.

[Syne]

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2070851837642583