Ferreira da Silva Venâncio, Mariana (2023) Meritocracy and Friendliness (mettā). Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
The concept of meritocracy has faced criticism in academia, as it rewards individuals based on their abilities, efforts, and accomplishments. While meritocracy promotes social mobility and equal opportunities, scholars argue that factors beyond one's control, such as family background and discrimination, influence a person's merit. Despite acknowledging the impact of non-meritocratic elements on access to opportunities, meritocracy remains widely supported. However, ignoring these factors ignores and thus perpetuates structural inequalities. The narrative of the 'self-made man' exacerbates these issues, fuelling hubris among the elite and contributing to despair among disadvantaged individuals. In this paper, I present an alternative perspective by exploring the philosophical teachings of the Pāli discourses of the Buddha. I argue that overemphasizing personal effort creates an illusion of control, which causes despair given the unattainable nature of illusions. By examining the practice of friendliness (mettā), I criticise meritocracy from a philosophical standpoint. The paper introduces friendliness and its relevant philosophical concepts, analyses the history and principles of meritocracy, discusses its strengths and shortcomings, and reflects on how the concepts of impermanence (anicca), no-self (anattā), and vulnerability provide insights into the limitations of meritocracy.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Name supervisor: | Friso, S. |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Aug 2024 14:06 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Aug 2024 14:06 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/491 |
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