‘Whatever happened to the American ideal of a meritocracy? Really.’
Successfully squashed and kept inaccessible by the American aristocracy.
Even a cursory glance at US history, Yars, shows we’ve never had one, not even close. It’s a fairy tale to tell children for esteem building and confidence as they grow into their own self-awareness. And it’s a good one at that, to build the necessary skills and uncover their talents.
I get your point, but it’s a fantasy. So is the concept of equality. All men are not created equal, but all men should be treated as equal. We just don’t have the maturity to deal with that reality on a national scale, so we form little protective cliques in defensive mode to ward off any integration from the ‘others’ and mock their efforts (woke) to be acknowledged as equals for our gratification. Cheers, brother. ?