This philosophy paper argues for the need to bring back a meritocracy into our culture again. It debates the question of whether authority and leadership should come from merit and achievement or whether a person's life should be the primary focus in our society for this role. To do this, it tries to show how important it is to follow the examples that were always set in place by the great masters as heroes of the past and forms a critique against the postmodernism of the 90s. In particular it criticises the media including print and online journalism.
Table of Contents
1. Meritocracy Versus the Cult of Personality
2. The Need for a Meritocracy Again
3. Hierarchy
4. The Cult of Personality and the Nineteenth Century Romantics
5. Critical Theory from the 60 to the 90s
6. The 90s and Advertising (especially in the 90s)
7. B.F. Skinner and Behaviourism
8. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
The paper examines the decline of meritocracy in contemporary society, analyzing how the cultural shift toward a "cult of personality" and collectivist identity politics has overshadowed the value of individual creative output and professional achievement.
- The historical transition from valuing work to prioritizing personal identity and lifestyle.
- The role of mass media and advertising in manipulating public perception and gender norms since the 1990s.
- The influence of postmodernist critical theory on the erosion of traditional meritocratic standards.
- The application of B.F. Skinner’s behaviorist principles in modern digital engagement and advertising algorithms.
- The urgent necessity to reclaim individualistic meritocracy and critical autonomy.
Excerpt from the Book
The 90s and Advertising (especially in the 90s)
In fact, especially in Anglo-Saxon countries during the 90s, at a time when the postmodern movement became more manifest (which saw identity focused collectivist groups of members of the same inclination believing in the dictum that you are either oppressor or the oppressed), (SFS York, 2017) the postmodernists focusing more on gender identities smashing the icons of the past, pushed out the idea of the individualistic individual, which began the downfall of the worship and belief in the individual heroes of the past based on meritocracy. As part of a desire to turn the tables in relation to gender, in the 90s, the representation of bodies, in the media, which would actively create and reinforce gender identity, would invent and make stronger our non-individualistic identity while intentionally leading us think we were more individualistic. Linked to identity and collectivist groups which make us tribal, the heritage of the great artists and creators of the past like Freud – see for example, Richard Webster’s 1995 book ‘Why Freud was Wrong’ were denounced and fitted to the will of these new minority groups which fitted them into their own construction of stereotypes manifested and reinforced greatly by media writing and advertising in the 90s.
Using image and language-semantics, this ludicrous idea strongly marketed through and helped by the press and through postmodernist agendas – following on from the critical theory from the 60s saw a momentum or certain political currents and agendas flow that helped discredit the great heroes of the past and any sign of heroism related to their abilities and (creative) output in general. (Manasseh 2015, 2020)
Summary of Chapters
Meritocracy Versus the Cult of Personality: The author introduces the central argument that society has shifted its focus from the value of an individual's professional output to an obsession with their personal life.
The Need for a Meritocracy Again: This section defines meritocracy as leadership based on intellectual criteria and achievement, advocating for its return in an era defined by postmodern uncertainty.
Hierarchy: The author discusses the biological and historical necessity of hierarchies, arguing they are natural structures not inherently tied to political tyranny.
The Cult of Personality and the Nineteenth Century Romantics: This chapter traces the origins of personality-focused fame back to the Romantic movement of the 19th century.
Critical Theory from the 60 to the 90s: An exploration of how 1960s critical theory and the subsequent counter-culture movements began to diminish the status of individual heroes.
The 90s and Advertising (especially in the 90s): This chapter analyzes how media and advertising in the 1990s used identity politics and gender-based narratives to undermine individualistic meritocracy.
B.F. Skinner and Behaviourism: An examination of how Skinner's operant conditioning theories have influenced modern advertising and algorithmic design to manipulate human behavior.
Conclusion: The final section calls for a rejection of collectivist identity manipulation in favor of respecting individuals based on their own unique merits and achievements.
Keywords
Meritocracy, Cult of Personality, Post-humanism, Postmodernism, Critical Theory, Individualism, Collectivism, Identity Politics, Advertising, Behaviourism, B.F. Skinner, Media Manipulation, Romantic Movement, Social Media, Human Agency
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines the shift in Western society from valuing professional and creative achievement (meritocracy) to an obsession with the personal lives and identities of individuals (the cult of personality).
What is the central research concern?
The core concern is how modern collectivist identity groups and media marketing have marginalized the importance of individual output and rationalist standards of merit.
What methodology is utilized?
The author uses a historical and cultural analytical approach, drawing on philosophy, psychology (specifically behaviorism), and media studies to critique shifts in social values from the 19th century to the present.
How is the "cult of personality" defined in this context?
It refers to the contemporary tendency to prioritize the subjective personal traits, morality, or lifestyle of an artist or creator over the actual quality and significance of their work.
What role does advertising play in the author's critique?
The author argues that advertising creates and reinforces stereotypes to manipulate consumer identity, effectively conditioning society to ignore meritocratic ideals in favor of marketable group identities.
Which key theories are discussed in relation to media manipulation?
The author discusses Critical Theory and B.F. Skinner’s behaviorist models, particularly the concept of operant conditioning, to explain how digital and media environments shape human behavior.
Why does the author advocate for the return of hierarchies?
The author presents hierarchy as a natural, biological phenomenon essential for organized society, arguing that it should be decoupled from notions of systemic tyranny or oppression.
How did the 1990s specifically contribute to the current situation?
The 90s are identified as a critical decade where postmodernist agendas and media advertising intensified the focus on identity politics, thereby pushing out the traditional, merit-based worship of individual heroes.
What is the author's solution to the problems described?
The author calls for renewed individual autonomy, a move away from collectivist identity ideologies, and a heightened awareness of how information systems and social media manipulate human behavior.
How does the paper relate Jaron Lanier’s observations to its argument?
Lanier is cited to illustrate how modern algorithms and engagement-driven social media platforms further facilitate the manipulation of reality and the erosion of individual free will.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Professor PhD, Celta, BA Hons. Cyrus Manasseh (Autor:in), 2019, The Life or the Work? Meritocracy versus the Cult of Personality in our Age of Post-Humanism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/902831
