The Meritocracy Trap

An Interview with Daniel Markovits

What if everything we've been taught about getting ahead in America is actually a trap? Yale Law professor Daniel Markovits drops a bombshell by revealing how meritocracy—our cherished national myth—has become the very system destroying both the middle class and crushing even those who "succeed" within it.

Markovits takes us on a fascinating journey through the transformation of everyday industries. Remember when working at McDonald's meant having actual cooking skills? Today, those jobs have been de-skilled to button-pushing, while a small elite of food scientists earns millions designing pre-packaged meals. This pattern repeats across retail, finance, medicine, and law—middle-skill jobs vanish while a small group at the top commands astronomical salaries and those at the bottom struggle with minimal wages.

The most surprising revelation might be how this system harms even those at the top. Unlike aristocrats of old who could simply collect passive income from inherited wealth, today's elites must exploit themselves through crushing work schedules. They spend entire lives being evaluated, tested, and molded to market demands rather than pursuing meaningful interests. Their wealth comes at the cost of their freedom and fulfillment.

Markovits offers practical advice for navigating this broken system, suggesting that starting businesses or relocating to areas with greater social mobility might provide alternatives to the elite credential chase. He leaves us with a powerful insight: "We can't make social policy for exceptional people. We have to make social policy for the rest of us who are ordinary." In a world that increasingly rewards only the exceptional, perhaps that's the most revolutionary idea of all.