Is the United States a Meritocracy?

[BoyNextDoor]

A system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement

Meritocracy is the implementation of advancement based upon intellectual talent. Often, advancement is determined by demonstrated achievement in the field where it is implemented.

Is the United States a Meritocracy? I believe it is. "Advancement" absolutely is influenced by innumerable factors with race, gender and class being among the most influential. However, the US is essentially a place where you get out what you put in. IMHO, anyway.

Am I delusional?

 

[Bert Notorius]

kinda hard getting around the whole labor union thing.

 

[richard_daily]

A system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement

Meritocracy is the implementation of advancement based upon intellectual talent. Often, advancement is determined by demonstrated achievement in the field where it is implemented.

Is the United States a Meritocracy? I believe it is. "Advancement" absolutely is influenced by innumerable factors with race, gender and class being among the most influential. However, the US is essentially a place where you get out what you put in. IMHO, anyway.

Am I delusional?

You are delusional. The US is a plutocracy, or an aristocracy, depending on how you look at it.

Money begets money, especially in the US. Merit has nothing to do with it but it's a nice story to tell the other rich white guys at the country club.

 

[imalickin]

You are delusional. The US is a plutocracy, or an aristocracy, depending on how you look at it.

Money begets money, especially in the US. Merit has nothing to do with it but it's a nice story to tell the other rich white guys at the country club.

This is true, we all know how only the best teachers are employed to teach our children, how only the best doctors are practicing medicine and only the best craftsmen build our houses, buildings and bridges. How only the best police are patrolling our streets and the best of the best are those that get ahead in any field they so choose.

 

[Balladeer08]

Somewhere in the Sharpe's Rifles series, one of the characters says something like "Democracy, monarchy or whatever, it doesn't matter. Money talks, merit walks."

Sadly too true too often.

 

[sunandshadow]

Money begets money, especially in the US.

This. Is is a nepotocracy crossed with a popularity contest.

 

[Exquisition]

Of course it's a meritocracy Obama rose to the top God bless him!

 

[richard_daily]

This is true, we all know how only the best teachers are employed to teach our children, how only the best doctors are practicing medicine and only the best craftsmen build our houses, buildings and bridges. How only the best police are patrolling our streets and the best of the best are those that get ahead in any field they so choose.

Your post is lacking something, mainly a point.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

A system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement

Meritocracy is the implementation of advancement based upon intellectual talent. Often, advancement is determined by demonstrated achievement in the field where it is implemented.

Is the United States a Meritocracy? I believe it is. "Advancement" absolutely is influenced by innumerable factors with race, gender and class being among the most influential. However, the US is essentially a place where you get out what you put in. IMHO, anyway.

Am I delusional?

Your question is too broad.

Our government is an Oligarchy with the lower ranks ruled by Affirmative Action and the upper ranks ruled by graduates of the correct schools who share an Interventionist/Socialist philosophy.

In our lives we espouse meritocracy, but soften it with the lower expectations of diversity and tolerance and the recently adopted philosophy of selflessness.

In business, it is mainly meritocracy, ruled by the philosophy of self with just enough politically correct decision making to keep the first off our ass and the second patronizing our goods and services and working for us.

 

[Exquisition]

Your post is lacking something, mainly a point.

Actually I think there was a great deal of sarcasm in there old chap.

 

[Exquisition]

From a commercial P.O.V. IMO it's as close to a meritocracy as you;re likely to get. The market decides the relative merit of a business ergo if its success (assuming the business is legit).

Think you need to define merit also.

Is it merit if you have the right connections, have the ability to 'play the game' - assuming most of the policies you espouse are watered down PC version of your true beliefs?

Is it merit to have wealth to support a tilt at presidency for e.g. and have any other unseen myriad factors pulling for you through luck, circumstance, info. dissemination and capability to react to information?

Thing is the subject is huge. Depends on what the OP specifically had in mind when posting the thread.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

The only thing in the OP's mind is blasting "the right" for having all the wrong ideas about his belief system.


Trust me on this one. I only replied as a thinking and writing exercise.


PS, I am a C student at best.

 

[richard_daily]

PS, I am a C student at best.

At least you told one true story.

 

[unregistered]

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Yeah, you're delusional. Race, gender, and class gets you ahead in Government, and government along with big unions and trial lawyers does all it can to erase merit in the private sector.

Do not forget the Governmental-Educational complex Ike warned us about.

No child left behind even if it means retarding by governor...

 

[unregistered]

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

You mean the educational complex Pravda says has been taken over by Communists? Who would know better than them what a communist looks like?

Bill Ayers?



"I am a radical, Leftist, small "c" Communist.... Maybe I am the last Communist willing to admit it.... The ethics of Communism still appeal to me."
William Ayers
Mild-mannered Professor of Education and former Terrorist

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

From a commercial P.O.V. IMO it's as close to a meritocracy as you;re likely to get. The market decides the relative merit of a business ergo if its success (assuming the business is legit).

Think you need to define merit also.

Is it merit if you have the right connections, have the ability to 'play the game' - assuming most of the policies you espouse are watered down PC version of your true beliefs?

Is it merit to have wealth to support a tilt at presidency for e.g. and have any other unseen myriad factors pulling for you through luck, circumstance, info. dissemination and capability to react to information?

Thing is the subject is huge. Depends on what the OP specifically had in mind when posting the thread.

Nonsense. Every company that ever came hopping doen the bunny trail tapped relatives, and the spawn/spouses of pols first. We always reach for our numnutz kids before we swallow our pride and suffer merit.

 

[bronzeage]

I was born a poor black child and due to hard work and diligence, I am now an affluent white man. Only in America.

 

[richard_daily]

I was born a poor black child and due to hard work and diligence, I am now an affluent white man. Only in America.

You're Steve Martin in the Jerk?

 

[bronzeage]

You're Steve Martin in the Jerk?

Of course not. Steve Martin was me in that movie.

 

[richard_daily]

Of course not. Steve Martin was me in that movie.

I hope you have some pictures of the time you beat up those racist mobsters.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Your question is too broad.

Our government is an Oligarchy with the lower ranks ruled by Affirmative Action and the upper ranks ruled by graduates of the correct schools who share an Interventionist/Socialist philosophy.

In our lives we espouse meritocracy, but soften it with the lower expectations of diversity and tolerance and the recently adopted philosophy of selflessness.

In business, it is mainly meritocracy, ruled by the philosophy of self with just enough politically correct decision making to keep the first off our ass and the second patronizing our goods and services and working for us.

Bravo. You're capable of making a trenchant point before the meds kick in.

 

[blobfish]

From a commercial P.O.V. IMO it's as close to a meritocracy as you;re likely to get. The market decides the relative merit of a business ergo if its success (assuming the business is legit).

Think you need to define merit also.

Is it merit if you have the right connections, have the ability to 'play the game' - assuming most of the policies you espouse are watered down PC version of your true beliefs?

Is it merit to have wealth to support a tilt at presidency for e.g. and have any other unseen myriad factors pulling for you through luck, circumstance, info. dissemination and capability to react to information?

Thing is the subject is huge. Depends on what the OP specifically had in mind when posting the thread.

Market-driven economics has been dying a slow death ever since people started selling corn for less than it cost to grow.

 

[Berries_n_cream]

Market-driven economics has been dying a slow death ever since people started selling corn for less than it cost to grow.

Not a loss leader then?