I just read a few interesting articles on the idea of Meritocracy (I will link them at the bottom of this post). I wanted to talk about it because here on SF I often hear people using language from this ideology ("I deserve to die, My life is worthless, I am a failure.")
Basically a Meritocracy is where people get ahead through their own merits (hard work, accomplishments) rather than through their parents social class, race, connections, health, looks, or just plain luck.
The problem with this idea is that it's just that - an idea. It's what we *wish* were true, because people want to believe in a just world. We want good people to succeed and bad people to fail. And we want it so badly (especially in places like the USA) that we act as if the Meritocracy were real. The article has quotes from both Barak Obama and Donald Trump, who obviously are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, yet both quotes appear to use language of Meritocracy. The reference to a "level playing field" and to people rising from humble roots to achieve great things. And we rarely talk about other factors in success like connections, race, gender, and luck.
Yes, people (especially those in power) LOVE to hold up the example of someone who rose from humble roots to achieve great things. The problem is that this is actually extremely rare which is why the few examples become popular stories. A large number of people end up in the same career as their parents. Most Ivy League students have been groomed since preschool by their wealthy or upper middle class families. Bill Gates may have been a geeky teenager but his father was a prominent lawyer. Many famous actors are also heirs or heiresses. And even among writers and artists, the majority are from the upper middle class or the elite.
Furthermore, a belief in meritocracy has been shown in psychological studies to result in selfishness, and to insensitivity to those in need. Why? Because if the rich and famous get what they deserve, then those in misery also deserve to be there, right? And a belief in meritocracy has been shown to even harm those who do succeed.
Philosophies that contribute to this mindset can include religion, "God only gives us what we can handle. God protects the faithful, God gives us what we deserve." Also New Age "We get what we 'manifest' by positive thinking. Karma (if spoken of as enacted in this life).
And this is what I see on SF. If we are depressed it's our fault. If lonely, we are unworthy of love. If sick, we must somehow deserve it.
TLDR: Life is not fair. You don't deserve to suffer. Genetics, upbringing, health, advantages, connections and yes, luck play HUGE roles in whether we succeed in life. Some people achieve wealth and success through unethical means like preying on others.
Most decent people do the best they can, yet may still end up in misery. Many people have hard or terrible lives due to no fault of their own.
What to take from this? Stop beating yourself up. Stop blaming yourself for your hardships and focus on doing what you can to better your own life. We may not be able to "succeed" by society's standards, but most of us still have a hope of using tools like therapy, social skills training, meditation, medication and the like to give us some peace and help us contribute to ourselves and the world. You're here and responding to others' posts means you are already making a contribution.
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https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/a-belief-in-meritocracy-is-not-only-false-its-bad-for-you
https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/21/20897021/meritocracy-economic-mobility-daniel-markovits
Basically a Meritocracy is where people get ahead through their own merits (hard work, accomplishments) rather than through their parents social class, race, connections, health, looks, or just plain luck.
The problem with this idea is that it's just that - an idea. It's what we *wish* were true, because people want to believe in a just world. We want good people to succeed and bad people to fail. And we want it so badly (especially in places like the USA) that we act as if the Meritocracy were real. The article has quotes from both Barak Obama and Donald Trump, who obviously are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, yet both quotes appear to use language of Meritocracy. The reference to a "level playing field" and to people rising from humble roots to achieve great things. And we rarely talk about other factors in success like connections, race, gender, and luck.
Yes, people (especially those in power) LOVE to hold up the example of someone who rose from humble roots to achieve great things. The problem is that this is actually extremely rare which is why the few examples become popular stories. A large number of people end up in the same career as their parents. Most Ivy League students have been groomed since preschool by their wealthy or upper middle class families. Bill Gates may have been a geeky teenager but his father was a prominent lawyer. Many famous actors are also heirs or heiresses. And even among writers and artists, the majority are from the upper middle class or the elite.
Furthermore, a belief in meritocracy has been shown in psychological studies to result in selfishness, and to insensitivity to those in need. Why? Because if the rich and famous get what they deserve, then those in misery also deserve to be there, right? And a belief in meritocracy has been shown to even harm those who do succeed.
Philosophies that contribute to this mindset can include religion, "God only gives us what we can handle. God protects the faithful, God gives us what we deserve." Also New Age "We get what we 'manifest' by positive thinking. Karma (if spoken of as enacted in this life).
And this is what I see on SF. If we are depressed it's our fault. If lonely, we are unworthy of love. If sick, we must somehow deserve it.
TLDR: Life is not fair. You don't deserve to suffer. Genetics, upbringing, health, advantages, connections and yes, luck play HUGE roles in whether we succeed in life. Some people achieve wealth and success through unethical means like preying on others.
Most decent people do the best they can, yet may still end up in misery. Many people have hard or terrible lives due to no fault of their own.
What to take from this? Stop beating yourself up. Stop blaming yourself for your hardships and focus on doing what you can to better your own life. We may not be able to "succeed" by society's standards, but most of us still have a hope of using tools like therapy, social skills training, meditation, medication and the like to give us some peace and help us contribute to ourselves and the world. You're here and responding to others' posts means you are already making a contribution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/a-belief-in-meritocracy-is-not-only-false-its-bad-for-you
https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/21/20897021/meritocracy-economic-mobility-daniel-markovits
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