The dangerous attack on meritocracy: The core idea -- that jobs should be assigned to those most qualified to accomplish them -- is under attack

American Thinker ^ | 04/28/2021 | Larry Alexander

[SeekAndFind]

The core meritocratic idea -- that tasks should be assigned to those most qualified to accomplish them -- is, and has been for some time, under attack. That attack, predictably in the current identity politics-obsessed climate, has been based on race and sex.

Just recently, for example, the CEO of United Airlines proudly announced that United’s new goal for its stable of pilots and co-pilots is that it reflect the demography of United’s passengers. So if a certain percentage passengers are women, and a certain percentage are black, then the occupants of United’s cockpits should reflect those percentages. The CEO failed to explain whether United’s current failure to meet those percentages was due to its own race and sex discrimination, or whether instead it was due to such factors as the skills and occupational preferences of women and blacks. Nor did he explain why anyone, including United’s passengers, should care anything about United’s pilots other than whether they were highly qualified to execute a pilot’s only job, which is to fly and land the plane safely.

The same point applies to the FAA’s policy to “diversify” air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers, too, have one task, which is to manage congested skies so that airplanes do not collide and land safely. The occupants of airplanes care only that they do that task the best that it can be done, and care not a whit about to what race or sex they belong.

This point also applies to the military. It, too, has a singular task, to win wars and do so at the lowest cost in blood and treasure. Accomplishing that mission, regardless of the racial, sexual, or sexual orientation of its members, is all citizens should demand of it.

[Organic Panic]

With the ridiculous AA garbage ruling the nation who would feel comfortable seeing a black female pilot as you board an aircraft?

[aquila48]

[Myrddin]

The Bakke case is the reason I'm a software engineer instead of continuing my original objective of becoming an MD. Oddly, many of my co-workers who did go for the MD have opted for software engineering due to outrageous malpractice insurance costs. Thankfully, I skipped the crushing debt of medical school. Zero regrets.