sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 05:41 AM
Original message |
Are we destined to be a meritocracy? |
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Edited on Tue May-02-06 05:41 AM by sweetheart
The complexity of modern life requires that culture elevate people based on their merit to society. By this principal, a perfect meritocracy would have each citizen optimized in their economic utility. (bush is an example of a breakdown in this)
Many recent generations believe that improved station in life can be earned if they "merit" it. This historically-recent belief is distinctly middle class, and does not come from monarchy or neo-feudalism. To overturn the middle class expectation, feudal institutions have redefined "merit" as loyalty to the boss, to the job, to the plantation, and reallocate the pie to that end.
To overturn the institutions of social merit, the bush neocrims have set about a new system of merit that explains why "they" merit their positions. Whilst this might be all fine and dandy for their political careers, it wrecks great damage at the institutions of global society, as we need the best citizens promoted to their natural positions of intelligence, and we, to survive, need the institutions of meritocracy restored; a functioning 4th estate.
When the person who is president should be a grave digger, and the grave digger is in the president's chair, our society is at risk at its very strategic core, violating its own mechinisms of natural selection for bad DNA.
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Rabrrrrrr
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Tue May-02-06 05:49 AM
Response to Original message |
1. Is that a rap, or some other kind of song? |
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Strange formatting. Who wrote it? Is it something historical?
The writer also seems to be confused about whether he/she likes meritocracy - seems to against it, but in the end, comes down in favor it.
:shrug:
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 06:05 AM
Response to Reply #1 |
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It is formatted that way, as i'm trying to ask a complex question based on an observation.
We require, given the highly technical nature of our culture, that the network admin's know what they're doing... and across all careers, all nations. This being "democratic" underground, i sided the op towards meritocracy, as we may be democratic, but we arn't really.
As the democratic party is supported strongly by universities and many professions that have very defined systems of merit and achievement, and the republican party, generally, more business money with country club education, perhaps a bible. The denial of the meritocracy makes sense from the country club.
The country club can't get petrol for its gas lawn mowers without a meritocracy. They then position their entire club on top of the meritocracy, morally.
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Rabrrrrrr
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Tue May-02-06 06:15 AM
Response to Reply #3 |
5. Well, all right. I don't see how the formatting helps you make a point |
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any better than not formatting it that way, but so be it. :shrug:
So, that post was your writing, then?
And you are saying that a meritocracy (based on skills/knowledge) is the best way to go; and you are offering the suggestion that the republicans have redefined "meritocracy" to mean "those who are loyal/sycophantish enough regardless of their skills/benefit to society"?
If so, then I agree with you wholeheartedly. I think meritocracies are bloody wonderful, and very sensible systems (though unnatural to us humans, and thus difficult for us to pull it off properly, I submit). I worked in a firm that was a meritocracy and beat the shit out of every union job I ever had - I was good, so actually got rewarded. Whereas in the union jobs, I was good, and got jack shit because pay was all about how long I'd worked there, no matter how much more I produced than anyone else, or how good of a job I did.
And you make a good (albeit unclear) point about how the rich republican-types like to redefine meritocracy based on asskissing (my one-word summation of your phrases).
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 06:38 AM
Response to Reply #5 |
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Edited on Tue May-02-06 06:57 AM by sweetheart
I developed a bad habit from the old DU editor, hence the formatting.
I always post my own writing, a very occasional italic quote at times.
I do believe that meritocracy is the best way to go, yes, even over democracy. I think a retired school teacher should have more votes than a fast food worker. I think military service should give more votes than a civilian. I do believe that contribution should weigh on influence.. not by money, but by merit. The republicans, seem to try to mix these 2 things, by presuming a puritain belief that "good people come to wealth". It seems the core hueristic in their program of merit.
I was going to say that the universities encapsulated merit, but that is not so true, so i was thinking its sorta the 4th estate, 5th estate thing, only by challenge in open free speech debate can any merit or truth be truly tested.
You write much more clearly, -fingers are rusty today-.
:-)
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izzie
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Tue May-02-06 07:00 AM
Response to Reply #7 |
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Renters should have no voting rights as they do not pay taxes. Now I guess the owners are really paying those taxes out of their own pocket for love of the renter? Who is paying the tax really? I think when you say one job should have more say than other you are thinking the same way. It is always a two way street. The owner of the mill would have nothing to sell with out the workers who would have nothing to make with our the mill owner. People can do different things or want to do different things and the value of that thing should not be a value thing for votes. Or that is how I look at it. This country has just been a little better at letting talent go to the top and not birth to be the 100 percent judge. Just look at the White House and Congress and you will see both sides of the coin played out there.
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 07:16 AM
Response to Reply #8 |
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Samsarrah as well points to the fallability of plutocracy, and this is the operational system today, just by the ability to purchase an election. My observation, however, is that such a system will not select DNA for survival, it cannot, because it does not distinguish its betters.
My seeing, is that such a system is prone to fail at some point, and that point, should replace it with a meritocracy, where obvious social merit is given weighted votes. Such a system is working very well in switzerland to maintain extremely high standards of living, and green(er) coexistivity.
In my vision of a meritocracy, i would give every person 1 vote for every 20 years of life. Generational votes for wisdom of living on the earth and surviving.
1 extra vote for military service 1 extra vote for civil service (ie: school teacher) 1 extra vote for paying double your taxes
Such a system would be more likely to promote competence, as those who have proven competence in society would have more say in getting intelligence to the top. We're already seeing the other side of the coin playing out, tragically as plutocratic greed rots away at liberty's foundation more effectively than any enemy.
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izzie
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Wed May-03-06 08:20 AM
Response to Reply #11 |
16. My vote already counts for more than one for |
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the people who do not vote but I frankly do like what you are saying. Odd that when I lived in the middle of the service life few of those people voted. I was looked as a nut as I always voted and I had to have a higher officer sign the vote so I could send it in.
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acmejack
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Tue May-02-06 07:21 AM
Response to Reply #7 |
12. Tell me how many votes would YOU merit |
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as opposed to a no account schmuck like me?
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 07:34 AM
Response to Reply #12 |
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I would get 2 votes, for over 40 years of life. I don't know your age, so if you are over 40, then we have equal voting weight.
If you're a retired police officer who's 65, you'd have 4 votes, 3 votes for 3 generations, and 1 vote for civil service.
A retired military general who's 80 years old and pays double his taxes, would have 4 generation votes, 1 military service vote, and 1 double taxes vote... 6 votes.
A single mother of 2 kids would get to vote the kids votes until they were voting age. Say she is 30 years old, 1 -generation vote.. 2 kid votes... 3 votes, 1 more than me.
...
Is that a fair sketch?
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Guaranteed
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Tue May-02-06 05:55 AM
Response to Original message |
2. Insightful post. Particularly the |
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redefinition of "merit." :)
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 06:10 AM
Response to Reply #2 |
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:-)
Apologies for the more obsolete terms, where political utility is presumed in "economic utility".
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sam sarrha
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Tue May-02-06 06:33 AM
Response to Original message |
6. we are in a plutocracy, like Mexico only we cant export our poverty anywhere |
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else.. so there will be a handy massive under class to exploit when China starts outsourcing all their poluting, environmentally distructive and low paying jobs here..
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Warren Stupidity
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Tue May-02-06 07:06 AM
Response to Original message |
9. The entire planet is run by and for a small group of elites. |
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They use whatever works to get us to behave. If a meritocracy within a hierarchy of wage slaves works, that is what they will use. If instead tasers and mass arrests are best to keep us down, that is the method they will employ. When the system is in danger of cracking up, war is always in order. The system has always been this way.
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sweetheart
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Tue May-02-06 05:45 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
15. Sometimes hearing the truth sucks |
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It spoils the folly of political choice.
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sendero
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Tue May-02-06 07:11 AM
Response to Original message |
10. A meritrocracy would be fine.. |
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.. as long as those who are disabled, incapable, etc are taken care of.
The first step to implementing a meritrocracy would be a 100% "death tax" i.e., being born into a rich family is not a "merit" :)
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annabanana
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Tue May-02-06 07:22 AM
Response to Reply #10 |
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THAT would sure clear up the deficit in a big fat hurry, wouldn't it.
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