Are you talking about Scott Adams, the multimillionaire - or your day job posting establishment agitprop on FR? 
If I had a boss stupid enough to tell me something that illegal I'd feel like an idiot for working for her.
On the other hand, if I needed to rationalize my mediocre accomplishments...
Are you talking about Scott Adams, the multimillionaire - or your day job posting establishment agitprop on FR?
Sir/Madam, whatever you are:
I was told two different times that I “need not apply” for certain jobs/promotions. Once because my boss told me he “had to choose a woman”, and once because another boss told me “we have to encourage the young guys” to stick with the company, and he was going to give it to someone with only 1/4 of my experience.
Among my many accomplishments, I have earned the highest award given in a Fortune 100 company. If you call that mediocre, then you, sir/madam, are the idiot.