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shimmanyesterday at 7:35 PM2 repliesview on HN

Because meritocracy isn't a real thing.

It's just another form of authoritarianism, despotism, and oligarchy. Who decides what work is worth rewarding? What about the type of work?

It was always an antidemocratic idea sold to tech workers to stop the idea of questioning the system.

The idea that simply "talented" workers should rule just seems to speed run towards fascist aims. How do you consider which workers are worth more than others? If you do to the wrong school are you suddenly worth less? Do you think society will have certain preferences? What about in our neoliberal society where money is the only purpose to life?


Replies

rootusrootusyesterday at 8:18 PM

What would your preferred alternative look like?

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antisthenesyesterday at 7:43 PM

> Because meritocracy isn't a real thing.

It absolutely is a real thing. You don't get to declare that an existing word with more than 2000 years of history doesn't exist.

It may not exist in the Bay Area or in whatever subset of parameters you invented, but it absolutely exists and is something to strive towards.

> The idea that simply "talented" workers should rule just seems to speed run towards fascist aims.

Complete non-sequitur with 0 evidence.

> How do you consider which workers are worth more than others? If you do to the wrong school are you suddenly worth less? Do you think society will have certain preferences?

You decide just like everything else. Based on context and some objective measurements. It's not a perfect system, because sometimes measurements can become the goal, rather than the underlying objective, but it's the best system we have.

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