I worked in corporate America for 30 yrs, in Human Resources and/or “Diversity” . The myth of America being a meritocracy is instilled in every American. Work hard, be a team player, and you too can be CEO, or partner, or…
If anyone dares to say that meritocracy is a myth, they are labeled a trouble maker and put on the layoff list.
If you are female, learn to play golf so you will be a better team player.
If you are “of color”, volunteer for visible projects on top your workload. Be president of the employee resource group.
If those activities don’t get you promoted, “there is something wrong with you,” and you will be sent to an efficacy class (you still have to do your full time job) to “fix” you.
None of those things worked, you are now 50 yrs old at the top of the pay scale, you are laid off and can’t find a job. You lose your health insurance. You lose your house. You are “over qualified” for every job. But be grateful that you had a “career” with x company. It was your fault that the meritocracy didn’t work for you. But hey- be grateful.
Thank you for another great post. I also touch on the myth of meritocracy in a recent post.
“Shame and Blame: The Dual Dangers of Meritocratic Ideology
The myth of meritocracy is seductive: work hard, and you'll succeed. It's the American Dream packaged and sold to millions. But this seemingly fair belief system carries hidden dangers.
At its core, the meritocracy myth suggests that success is purely a result of individual effort and talent. Sounds fair, right? But it ignores the complex web of social, economic, and historical factors that shape our opportunities and challenges.
This belief system creates a double-edged sword:
– Shame: When we don't "make it," we internalize the failure. If success is solely about merit, then our struggles must be our fault. This leads to a spiral of self-blame, obscuring larger systemic issues.
– Blame: Those who succeed often believe they've earned their position through merit alone. This can breed a lack of empathy and justify inequality. "If I made it, why can't they?" Conversely, struggling groups might scapegoat others, mistakenly blaming "bad other" groups for their difficulties.”
I have long covid and the program I was in told us if we changed our attitude, long covid would vanish. Our nervous system would calm down. If the long covid symptoms didn’t magically vanish, it was because we weren’t grateful enough for what we do have. 🤦🏾♀️
that's really horrible. You see this a lot with cancer discussions too; the idea that positive thinking can somehow banish disease. It's really horrible.
I have Long Covid, too. The amount of bullsh-t that gets thrown at us! I’m so sorry your program basically consisted of Magical Thinking. Being grateful I’m alive does nothing to alleviate my symptoms. It won’t suddenly grant me the energy to play with my daughter.
I worked in corporate America for 30 yrs, in Human Resources and/or “Diversity” . The myth of America being a meritocracy is instilled in every American. Work hard, be a team player, and you too can be CEO, or partner, or…
If anyone dares to say that meritocracy is a myth, they are labeled a trouble maker and put on the layoff list.
If you are female, learn to play golf so you will be a better team player.
If you are “of color”, volunteer for visible projects on top your workload. Be president of the employee resource group.
If those activities don’t get you promoted, “there is something wrong with you,” and you will be sent to an efficacy class (you still have to do your full time job) to “fix” you.
None of those things worked, you are now 50 yrs old at the top of the pay scale, you are laid off and can’t find a job. You lose your health insurance. You lose your house. You are “over qualified” for every job. But be grateful that you had a “career” with x company. It was your fault that the meritocracy didn’t work for you. But hey- be grateful.
Thank you for another great post. I also touch on the myth of meritocracy in a recent post.
“Shame and Blame: The Dual Dangers of Meritocratic Ideology
The myth of meritocracy is seductive: work hard, and you'll succeed. It's the American Dream packaged and sold to millions. But this seemingly fair belief system carries hidden dangers.
At its core, the meritocracy myth suggests that success is purely a result of individual effort and talent. Sounds fair, right? But it ignores the complex web of social, economic, and historical factors that shape our opportunities and challenges.
This belief system creates a double-edged sword:
– Shame: When we don't "make it," we internalize the failure. If success is solely about merit, then our struggles must be our fault. This leads to a spiral of self-blame, obscuring larger systemic issues.
– Blame: Those who succeed often believe they've earned their position through merit alone. This can breed a lack of empathy and justify inequality. "If I made it, why can't they?" Conversely, struggling groups might scapegoat others, mistakenly blaming "bad other" groups for their difficulties.”
https://paultshattuck.substack.com/p/from-personal-pain-to-collective
I have long covid and the program I was in told us if we changed our attitude, long covid would vanish. Our nervous system would calm down. If the long covid symptoms didn’t magically vanish, it was because we weren’t grateful enough for what we do have. 🤦🏾♀️
that's really horrible. You see this a lot with cancer discussions too; the idea that positive thinking can somehow banish disease. It's really horrible.
Sorry you went through that! Abusive and unscientific.
I have Long Covid, too. The amount of bullsh-t that gets thrown at us! I’m so sorry your program basically consisted of Magical Thinking. Being grateful I’m alive does nothing to alleviate my symptoms. It won’t suddenly grant me the energy to play with my daughter.