Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you believed you deserved an award, a job, or a certain recognition, only to see it go to someone else? The concept of merit, often associated with outstanding conduct or character deserving of rewards, can be both a guiding principle and a source of discontent in our society.

In a perfect world, merit-based judgment seems like the fairest way to determine who should get ahead. For instance, it makes sense that someone who successfully completes medical school should deserve to practice as a doctor. Or the student with the highest GPA should get a scholarship. But here’s the catch: merit isn’t always as clear-cut as it should be.

In reality, meritocracy is one of the many intricate social problems we grapple with in our day-to-day lives. Merit, or rather the perception of it, plays a pivotal role in shaping social classes and an individual’s ability to thrive in the world. Those who exhibit high levels of merit often find themselves in positions of authority, whether in running large organizations or serving in the public sector, where they make decisions that profoundly impact our society, for better or worse.

But, as you might have noticed, it’s not always the most virtuous or meritorious who climb the ranks. In fact, we can probably all think of at least one powerful figure whose actions have strayed far from the notion of merit, resulting in harm to others whether it is physically, mentally, economically and more. So, the question arises: How do these individuals not only maintain their positions but also ascend to them in the first place, despite clear evidence of their unsuitability for the role?

The answer lies in several deep-rooted issues. One, for example, is that it is often more about whom you know than what you know. The influence of connections and networks can often outweigh the importance of credentials, leading to the wrong people being placed into the wrong positions. Now, the people selected are obviously “qualified” in terms of credentials, but they aren’t necessarily the best candidate which is the entire point of a merit-based system. This phenomenon challenges the very essence of meritocracy and leaves us pondering whether the American dream of success built on hard work and talent is more of an illusion than a reality.

In future explorations of American meritocracy, we’ll delve deeper into the intricacies of how social connections and favoritism often trump the value of qualifications. We’ll examine real-world scenarios and attempt to shed light on a system that may not be as fair and just as what I hope was intended . So, stay tuned for a journey through the complexities of meritocracy in modern America, where deserving may not always be what it seems.