The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?

The “common good” is the good which takes into consideration what is best for the entire community, and not just what is best for particular individuals. When politics is defined largely by rights, society tends to prioritize the individual good when one person’s rights conflict with another’s. When politics is defined by duty and responsibility to one another, the common good is easier to achieve, as it is focused on what is best for the community. Ancient philosophy was concerned almost exclusively with the common good and how to achieve it, while contemporary philosophy—influenced by the Enlightenment—has been characterized by a move away from the common good and towards an emphasis on individual rights and freedoms.

When something is defined as “technocratic,” it is characterized as being governed or guided by technology. In addition, a technocratic society is defined as one in which the technologically-inclined come to power, and align society along the lines of increasing technological advancement, prioritizing benefits for those most capable of taking advantage of technological breakthroughs and policies.

“Credentialism” is an ideology that views academic credentials as the prevailing means by which society needs to be sorted. It views those without academic credentials or the proper education as somehow less worthy, or possessed of a lower dignity than those with the “right” credentials.