Tyranny of merit : what's become of the common good?
- New Delhi : Penguin Books, 2020
- 272 p. ; 20 cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
The world-renowned philosopher and author of the bestselling Justice explores the central question of our time: What has become of the common good? These are dangerous times for democracy. We live in an age of winners and losers, where the odds are stacked in favor of the already fortunate. Stalled social mobility and entrenched inequality give the lie to the American credo that 'you can make it if you try'. The consequence is a brew of anger and frustration that has fueled populist protest and extreme polarization, and led to deep distrust of both government and our fellow citizens--leaving us morally unprepared to face the profound challenges of our time. World-renowned philosopher Michael J. Sandel argues that to overcome the crises that are upending our world, we must rethink the attitudes toward success and failure that have accompanied globalization and rising inequality. Sandel shows the hubris a meritocracy generates among the winners and the harsh judgment it imposes on those left behind, and traces the dire consequences across a wide swath of American life. He offers an alternative way of thinking about success--more attentive to the role of luck in human affairs, more conducive to an ethic of humility and solidarity, and more affirming of the dignity of work. The Tyranny of Merit points us toward a hopeful vision of a new politics of the common good.
9780141991177
Polarization Populism, United States Merit, Ethics Public interest Social mobility Economic conditions, 2009 Social conditions, 21st century Alcohol, drugs Anxiety, depression Britain Capitalism Common good Credentialism Democracy Deservingness Distributive justice Financial crisis Free market GDP(gross domestic product) Globalization Hubris Immigrants Ivy League Justice Political debate African American Civic, normal education Civil rights movement College education free market Globalization Hubris Immigrants Inequality Liberalism Multiculturalism Nationalism Political polarization Providentialism Racism Welfare Working class Xenophobia