Maybe we can create a world in which a dignified existence, enjoyable work and even the opportunity to engage in cultural and intellectual creation don’t require you to get one of a relative handful of intellectual, cultural or artistic jobs.

Finally, I have read so many different variations of the argument “well, now the shoe’s on the other foot- tough!”. We can dismiss this simply. Collective punishment is as creepy as hell. Don’t want to look like a spiteful creep? Then don’t support collective punishment.

Sometimes people on the left run this line that individual ability doesn’t exist, and I think that’s fucking nuts. We know that, for example, I could play 1000 chess games against Magnus Carlson and lose every one. In fact, there are people who are quite good at chess who would lose 100-0 against Carlson. And Carlson would lose 100-0 to the latest... See more

You can’t call for something for years and then complain why people say it exists: A shot at the left

I’m an equal opportunity sort (ha!), so let’s take a few shots at the left. You can’t A) demand for years that institutions make balancing the race and gender of their staff compositions a priority, and B) then express disbelief when people... See more

to make a claim against society on the basis of meritocracy, you have to say, “I lost, and maybe I’m not that special.

Another interesting fact about the public’s relationship to meritocracy is that they often see it as a form of moral entitlement . You, as an individual, have been wronged if you are not given ‘a fair chance’- and quite possibly more than a chance- to rise to the rank your talents imply. Almost no political philosopher- whether libertarian,... See more

In terms of subjective experience, do you know how many people think they are more talented than their station ? Approximately all of them!

We could break down meritocracy into a necessity condition and a sufficency condition

Necessity condition: In a meritocratic society, you have to be some positive function of (talented+hardworking) to make it.

Sufficiency condition : In a meritocratic society, being some positive function of (talented+hardworking) means that, barring tragic events,... See more