“ Fransisco, you're some kind of very high nobility, aren't you? He answered, Not yet. The reason my family has lasted for such a long time is that none of us has ever been permitted to think he is born… Ayn Rand
“ The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. Winston Churchill
“ Socialism is not a meritocracy. By definition it places increasingly confining restraints on those that succeed the most. A.E. Samaan
“ People always knock what's new but I love the modern Internet, where cleverness is currency. Social media is a cleverness meritocracy. We're living in it. Alexei Maxim Russell
“ This myth of meritocracy and equal opportunities encourages individualism over collective action, because when people believe this myth, they obviously see no need for protest movements around particu… Finn Mackay
“ The average Harvard freshman in 1952 would have placed in the bottom 10 percent of the incoming class by 1960. Charles Murray
“ One of my greatest pleasures in writing has come from the thought that perhaps my work might annoy someone of comfortably pretentious position. Then comes the saddening realization that such people ra… John Kenneth Galbraith
“ Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings. Chinua Achebe
“ Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal (...). There is a tendency (...) for certain people to use this phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. The most ridiculous example… Harper Lee
“ The first commendment of hte post 1970s meritocracy can be sumed up as follows: "Thou shall provide equality of opportunity to all, regardless of race, gender, or sexual oritentation, but worry not ab… Christopher L. Hayes
“ Where the establishment emphasized humility, prudence, lineage, meritocracy celebrates ambition, achievement, brains&self-betterment Christopher Hayes
“ A meritocracy is a system in which the people who are the luckiest in their health and genetic endowment; luckiest in terms of family support, encouragement, and, probably, income; luckiest in their e… Ben S. Bernanke
“ At its most basic, the logic of 'meritocracy' is ironclad: putting the most qualified, best equipped people into the positions of greates responsibility and import...But my central contention is that… Christopher L. Hayes
“ And if an increasingly pluralistic America ever decides to commission a new motto, I’m open for business, because I’ve got a better one than E pluribus unum. Tu dormis, tu perdis . . . You snooze, you… Paul Beatty
“ As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's… H.L. Mencken
“ We live in a system that espouses merit, equality, and a level playing field, but exalts those with wealth, power, and celebrity, however gained. Derrick A. Bell
“ With a blade at your throat, a well-connected uncle or a wealthy mother could not save you. Only you could save yourself. Natalia Marx
