Source: Center for a Stateless Society
by Kevin Carson
“‘Meritocracy’ is often framed by liberals as a thing that would be good if we actually had it, as opposed to the current non-meritocratic system. … meritocracy is bullshit because it presupposes the legitimacy of the dominant institutional framework and its standards of ‘merit.’ … people are graded on ‘merit’ according to their effectiveness in serving a system of power whose primary purpose is wealth extraction, and their ‘skill’ at carrying out tasks that are necessary to keep that system of power functioning. Imagine Auschwitz functioning as a meritocracy, and the ‘skills’ on which a member of its staff would be graded. If we reflect on it, it should quickly become obvious that ‘meritocracy,’ as a concept, is completely worthless unless we first evaluate the legitimacy of the tasks themselves and the parties whose ends they serve.” (09/24/24)