A meritocracy means taking the most competent and putting them in charge. Simple enough. But how does one determine competency? The problem is competence is determined ex post facto, through empirical evidence, in which case it may be too late. This means signaling is required, such as tests. The “most common definition of meritocracy conceptualizes… Continue reading Rule by signaling
Tag: signaling
Intellectualism Signaling
In earlier posts here and here I discuss signaling, but I want expound on this further, specifically ‘intellectualism signaling’. Signaling is actions and mannerisms that are intended to boost one’s social status among like-minded peers. Such mannerisms can include actions (writing, activism, etc.) and aesthetics (physical appearance, materialism, etc.). I define two types of signaling:… Continue reading Intellectualism Signaling
The Value of a Skill
Scott Adams of the Dilbert Blog asks: If someone offered you $100,000 to take a class for a few weeks, would you do it? I believe most of you would, assuming there is nothing terrible about the class itself. But if I change the offer to say you have a 30% chance of making $100,000,… Continue reading The Value of a Skill