The U.S. is obsessed with equality, no more so than in education. We persist in trying to engineer equal outcomes for all students. Anyone who states the obvious that some students are smarter or willing to work harder than others is criticized for being a white supremacist or worse (“A Belief in Meritocracy Is Not Only False: It’s Bad for You,”getpocket.com).
I don’t doubt that luck more than pure merit plays a role in who succeeds in any field of endeavor, but that does not mean meritocracy is a dirty concept. I fail to understand why it is seen as inherently selfish. There is nothing wrong in working in one’s self-interest. If that means differentiation in outcomes, so be it.
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