Wired covered the "myth of meritocracy" as it pertains to entrepreneurship and Silicon Valley 8 years ago:
https://www.wired.com/2013/11/silicon-valley-isnt-a-meritocr...
https://www.wired.com/2013/11/silicon-valley-isnt-a-meritocr...
I disagree with the author that Jobs and Zuckerberg are evidence that meritocracy is a myth. According to Wiki:
> ... Zuckerberg excelled in classes. After two years, he transferred to the private school Phillips Exeter Academy, where he won prizes in mathematics, astronomy, physics, and classical studies.
> By the time he was ten, Jobs was deeply involved in electronics and befriended many of the engineers who lived in the neighborhood. He had difficulty making friends with children his own age, however...
Later in life, they had great ideas, took huge risks (both dropping out of school), and worked hard.
But, “for families with incomes under $75,000, Exeter is free. We pick up the cost of tuition, books and academic supplies, and we provide a stipend ... We meet 100 percent of our admitted students’ demonstrated financial need. [1]”
Sadly, the idea that we live in a meritocracy is so politically incorrect that GSIs (TAs at Berkeley) are taught to interrupt a conversation where they hear a student saying “America is the land of opportunity” or “I believe the most qualified person should get the job. [2]”
[1] https://www.exeter.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/tuition-...
[2] http://gsi.berkeley.edu/media/tool-recognizing-microaggressi...