This volume reflects upon and exposes the long-term efforts made to damage the actual concept of merit while superficially maintaining its stance as legitimate. By exposing the way in which 'merit' changes based on whatever may maintain the elite in a place of privilege--as opposed to anything approximating true merit--Kahlenberg also exposes the hypocrisy of the word 'merit' when applied to certain groups of people. As such, this book is one aspect of a multitude--inclusive for example, of philosophy (Charles W. Mills, The Racial Contract), literature (Nguyen, The Sympathizer), and others--which finally exposes the fundamental hypocrisy in claiming merit when in fact all efforts are made to maintain the status quo in a way reminiscent of the original European feudal lords. The essential difference between claiming 'merit' while , in actuality, crushing it for those performing at higher levels is emphasized repeatedly through the facts presented in these essays. As such, it underlines the deception which characterizes the long-time behavior of wealthy white elite. The assertion that 'merit' matters is rendered obsolete at best and, in fact, is underlined as grossly discriminatory to those who are victimized by it. This central difference--the sale of the noblesse oblige, feudal-style, packaged as 'merit'--is finally coming home to roost.
Kahlenberg's book--and others which underline that the elite have little history of merit and significant history of deceptive wrangling, not to mention the commission of actual felonies such as extortion and bribes in the name of "legacy," have the power to change this context so that the original dream--of actual opportunity--may finally have some chance for realization.
Unfortunately, it seems that those who benefit have liittle interest in actual meritocracy that may jeopardize their chances, since the actual merit and competition which is required is not something which, as a rule, they exhibit. As Asians have proven, actual merit has little to do with success when the downward compression of this false 'merit' continues (is the newest Ivy League excuse that Asians are 'too nice' to get in???? How much more absurd will these claims become???). They have become yet another group of non-whites with actual merit who, like so many non-whites, are damaged due to the centuries-long obsession with maintaining 'superiority' amongst a group of people who are unable to admit that getting things for free doesn't automatically qualify one for 'superiority,' even if it has been doing so for century after century after century, to gross disadvantage to everybody else.
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