This essay explores the tension between market-driven democracy and the concept of meritocracy. It argues that when the market dictates value, it filters availability based on demand rather than true merit, aligning success with popularity rather than exceptionalism. Merit, defined as being exceptional and enabling progress, requires individual specialization and differentiation, which cannot be fully gauged or decided by democratic processes or collective decision-making.
The author posits that progress stems from individual innovation and that the majority cannot guide or evaluate specialization effectively. While democracy empowers the masses, it may inadvertently stifle progress by reducing the space for individual merit to flourish. The essay concludes by highlighting the incompatibility between democracy and meritocracy, emphasizing that merit is ultimately validated through the group's organic response to individual contributions rather than dictated by centralized authority.
