265. Meritocracy or Else | Dr. Adrian Wooldridge

Dr. Adrian Wooldridge is a political editor at The Economist and author of the new book ‘The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World.’

In this episode, Dr. Wooldridge and I discuss how his new book has been received, the history of meritocracy, how IQ testing shaped educational policy, group-based judgement, and the importance of defending liberal individualism.

—Links—

Follow Dr. Wooldridge on Twitter: ​​https://twitter.com/adwooldridge

‘The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World:’ https://amazon.com/Aristocracy-Talent...

More books by Dr. Wooldridge: https://amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/...

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—Chapters—

[0:00] Intro

[1:06] Reviews of ‘The Aristocracy of Talent’

[3:47] Measuring the Mind, History of IQ Testing, & British Education

[7:22] 11+ System vs. the Modern Prolonged Educational System

[10:22]Workplace Selection Tests

[11:58]IQ Literature & IQ Testing for the US Military

[14:55]Michael Young’s ‘The Rise of the Meritocracy’

[16:58]Pareto Distribution, Matthew Principle, & Creative Achievement Tests

[18:22]History of Meritocracy

[22:43]Conflating Moral Worth with Intellectual Ability

[24:25]Conceptual Inadequacy & “Bell Curve Liberals”

[29:45]Blank Slate Argument & Ethnic Differences in IQ Testing

[34:59]White Working Class in England

[37:45]Perception of Meritocracy in the UK vs. US

[42:21]Judging People as Group Members

[48:17]Distinction Between Affirmative Action & Diversity

[51:36]Idea of Meritocracy as Propaganda for the Elite

[54:00]Openness of Competition of Examinations

[56:10]Foucault & the Complexity of Perception

[59:55]Social Justice, Economic Efficiency & Growth Rates

[1:05:35]Challenges to Western Dominance

[1:10:59]European Ladder of Opportunity & Plutocracy

[1:14:32]Ethics: Levels of Analysis