Scott Hogenson: The Death of Merit

America has been a land full of opportunities. That’s because our nation was founded as a meritocracy, the wellspring of excellence. This idea is the foundation of American exceptionalism. 

The Declaration of Independence was and still is written during a time in which almost all of the world was governed by monarchy, absolutism, or outright dictatorships. These systems rarely, if any, recognized individual merit. In this regard, America’s founding was indeed exceptional. 

Leftists detest America’s meritocracy. Simple reason: Recognizing merit means that there will be winners as well as losers. This motivates us all to work harder and have faith in ourselves. 

People who have greater merit, such as hard work, perseverance and resourcefulness, are more likely to succeed. Meritocracy is a way to encourage individualism, excellence and is ingrained in the human genome. 

Equality of outcome is the polar opposite to meritocracy. It requires all of society, with the exception of the elites of politics and culture, to exist at one level. This is the basis of communist and socialist dictatorships. They use violence to enforce their rule. Totalitarians understand that living at the lowest common factor is against human nature and natural laws. 

It is no secret merit is not currently or ever universally recognized. As a young child, the first lesson I learned from my father was to be a good listener. “life isn’t fair,” He was right, and time has proven him right. But the periodic unfairness of life doesn’t mean meritocracies are bad. Winston Churchill said that meritocracies were the worst form, other than all the others. 

Some make a case against merit by conflating it with fraud and nepotism. Both of these are antithetical. This philosophical sleight-of-hand is best illustrated by the Harvard Gazette This excerpt from Michael Sandel’s book The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? 

A recent article in The Atlantic Xochitl Gonzales In its condemnation for merit, it is much more direct and eloquent. She just declares it cow manure in a less polished manner. 

In recent days, we’ve learned that schools in Virginia have deliberately withheld notification that certain students achieved recognition as National Merit Scholars, which is a very big deal for teenagers applying to college.

There are medical schools. Their curricula could be diluted by shifting attention away from medicine towards ideology in pursuit to identity politics. Students’ appearances and opinions are being replaced with merit in the healing arts. 

A surgeon with poor credentials is not someone anyone wants to operate on. No one wants paperboys, lawyers or plumbers with poor merit. You can see the American dream without merit by looking at academia. It’s littered with maladroit people who are not burdened by excellence. 

To be an authoritarian, one must attack merit. It is a method of destroying individual effort and reducing society at a level nobody wants to live in. That’s because merit is natural and equality of outcome is entirely unnatural. Invariably, when you combine merit and equality of outcome, the result is a culture that is somewhere between tragically and fatal.

The destruction and abuse of merit goes beyond an attack against American society and natural laws. It’s also an attack on the biblical precepts of human behavior. The Bible has a lot to say about living a life of merit and effort, even back to the time when King Solomon was writing. 

The book of Ecclesiastes demonstrates the connection between hard work, happiness and perseverance. “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart,” The author writes. He continues to encourage us to live our lives to the fullest. “because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” 

The Old Testament, a millennia old endorsement of effort merit and hard work, is older than Christianity. While merit is a natural and biblical concept, it is essential for a free society. 

Rational people love merit because it’s good. Perverse people who denigrate it seek to take away our dignity. American Leftists consider the collective more important than any individual who seeks excellence by demonstrating their merit. As such merit must be killed. 

Professional sports is the last remaining source of merit in America. Fans and team owners will not allow anyone to play in the NFL, NBA, or any other league. Because I lack the merit to be a Minnesota Vikings receiver, I am a writer instead of a player. We don’t tolerate equality of outcomes in professional sports. It should not be tolerated elsewhere in society.  

We are witnessing the slow death of merit in America, and it’s being done for degenerate political purposes. The fight is engaged by totalitarians and normal Americans need to join that fight if we’re going to preserve it. 

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases