Books·
The Cult of Smart
Meritocracy isn't truly fair if it rewards traits people never chose.
Metadata
| Author | Fredrik deBoer |
| Year | 2020 |
The Book in 3 Sentences
- Modern society places too much faith in intelligence and meritocracy. Educational and professional success depends far more on innate cognitive ability than many people are willing to admit, making the promise that "anyone can succeed if they work hard enough" incomplete.
- It challenges the idea that education alone can eliminate inequality. While better schools and opportunities matter, they cannot erase natural differences in ability. Policies built on the assumption that everyone can achieve the same outcomes often lead to disappointment and misplaced expectations.
- Its broader message is about building a more compassionate society. Rather than organizing status, income, and dignity primarily around academic or intellectual achievement, deBoer argues for valuing people regardless of cognitive ability and creating systems that offer security and respect to everyone.