Merit
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
“When opportunities are known to be unequal, and the selection clearly biased towards wealth or lineage, people can comfort themselves for failure by saying that they never had a proper chance – the system was unfair, the scales too heavily weighted against them. But if the selection is obviously by merit, this source of comfort disappears, and failure induces a total sense of inferiority, with no excuse or consolation; and this, by a natural quirk of human nature, actually increases the envy and resentment at the success of others.”--The Future of Socialism (1956) by Anthony Crosland |
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
- A claim to commendation or a reward.
- A mark or token of approbation or to recognize excellence.
- Something deserving or worthy of positive recognition or reward.
See also
Etymology
From Middle English merite, from Old French merite, from Latin meritum (“that which one deserves, just deserts; service, kindness, benefit, fault, blame, demerit, grounds, reason, worth, value, importance”), neuter of meritus, past participle of mereō (“I deserve, earn, gain, get, acquire”), akin to Ancient Greek μέρος (meros, “a part, lot, fate, destiny”). Pronunciation
See also
- The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel.
