Question

What’s wrong (if anything) with a system based purely on merit?

Is passing over more qualified applicants/candidates too high a price for society to pay?

Answer 1

A system which is purely based on merit has severe demerits. This issue can be very critical and might present negative consequences in the field of organisations, education and academics.

• Merit can be achieved if the intellectual level is strong. Every individual does not possess the same intellectual level. There no universality in the intellectual levels.
• Some students come from a very good socio-economic background and some come from a very poor background. The good socioeconomic background helps in providing good school, good material support, extra tuition support etc. This might bring out good results and the student will qualify in the merit. On the other hand, a student who is coming from a poor background will be deprived of the best quality education and might not land up to the expectations of merit.
• Sometime merit sets up an unrealistic standard which is achievable by very few students/employers/people in general. This increases a lot of competition. Competition can create a lot of stress, anxiety, depression, cases of suicides and rift within the society.
• Merit can create an imbalance between people who deserve the certain position vs people who used their privilege of merit. This can leave a feeling of inequality within the one's who are more qualified and more desirable candidate.

Passing over more qualified applicants and candidates is an attack on social justice. This privilege would be considered a discriminatory practice. This will have a negative impact on society in the long run. This will create a new norm in society. People will not be motivated to be competent or get better in their qualification. They will solely work their merit. If unqualified people start to run the various sectors of society then there would be harsh consequences on the economy, administration, research projects etc.

What we need is people who are great leaders, very well qualified and who's skills are at the best. Only relying on merit is very detrimental.