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

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Introduction

Chapters 1-2

Chapters 3-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapter 7-Conclusion

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Index of Terms

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.

Technocratic

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

“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.

Partisan

Describing something as “partisan” means ascribing it to one or another political party or group. Some thing or idea that is partisan falls largely into one of the two major political parties in America: Democrat or Republican. When a proposal is seen as beneficial regardless of one’s political affiliation, it is often described as “bipartisan,” meaning that it would be good from either political perspective or conviction.

GDP

The “GDP” is an acronym for “Gross Domestic Product.” Gross Domestic Product is a term used to describe the value in financial terms of a nation’s entire economic output, including goods and services, in a particular timeframe (usually blocked off year by year). To increase a nation’s GDP means to increase the nation’s wealth and purchasing power by the creation of goods and services.