Is Meritocracy a Lie?

[Urvashi]

Western societies claim to be meritocratic, rewarding those who work the hardest. But are success and social mobility truly based on merit, or do systemic advantages play a bigger role? Do you believe anyone can rise to the top with enough effort?

 

[Nomad]

Meritocracy is not a lie. A lot of people are rich and famous reached their position because the were best on what they were doing. However, it is also true that when people have power, they also practice nepotism.

 

[Deep]

Western societies claim to be meritocratic, rewarding those who work the hardest. But are success and social mobility truly based on merit, or do systemic advantages play a bigger role? Do you believe anyone can rise to the top with enough effort?

Hard work matters, but systemic advantages often shape success. Merit alone isn’t enough; opportunity, privilege, and luck also play significant roles.

 

[Urvashi]

Hard work matters, but systemic advantages often shape success. Merit alone isn’t enough; opportunity, privilege, and luck also play significant roles.

Absolutely, while hard work is important, it's not always a level playing field. Access to quality education, supportive networks, timing, and even where you're born can drastically influence outcomes. Success is often a mix of effort and circumstance.

Do you think society should do more to balance these systemic gaps?

 

[Lolita]

Meritocracy isn’t a total lie, but it’s often more ideal than reality. In theory, success should come from talent and hard work. But in practice, factors like wealth, social connections, education access, and systemic bias can heavily influence outcomes. Many people work hard yet don’t get ahead, while others benefit from advantages they didn’t earn. So while merit plays a role, the system isn’t always fair or equal, which makes the meritocratic promise feel misleading to those facing barriers beyond their control.

 

[elaidimoney]

Western societies claim to be meritocratic, rewarding those who work the hardest. But are success and social mobility truly based on merit, or do systemic advantages play a bigger role? Do you believe anyone can rise to the top with enough effort?

Hard work is important, but it’s not the only factor—access, privilege, and social capital matter too.
Many talented individuals are held back by barriers they didn’t create and can’t easily overcome.
So no, effort alone isn’t always enough—but recognizing that is the first step toward real change.

 

[Urvashi]

Hard work matters, but systemic barriers like access and privilege often shape opportunities more than effort alone. Acknowledging this imbalance is crucial. it opens the door to creating fairer systems where talent and dedication truly get their chance to shine.

 

[Niyi Briggs]

The world is not honest with concepts like meritocracy. Connections can get you successful in reality even when you are not so smart or hardworking. Meritocracy is a mirage.