Merit is BS

Merit is BS. Please hear me out. President Obama last night was interviewed by Bob Costas about the Olympics, and during a question on homosexuality, Obama said that he likes that being successful in the Olympics doesn't depend on your sexual orientation, race, etc. but instead "you are judged by your merit." What I'm writing now is not about Obama, but about the pervasive merit myth in America. This myth of the value of merit based achievement.

Read this: the playing field is not level. It never will be. If you think that working hard is a mathematical formula for success, then you're believing a myth. If you look at the countless amazing stories of people that have overcome adversity -- by their own merit -- then you're believing a myth. Before you queue up the Debbie Downer Wa Waaaaaa music on me, please let me explain.

I used to be one of those people that judged homeless folks for begging for money. I used to think "Frickin get a job man!" "Improve your own situation" "Wendy's is hiring right down the street from you." Until I learned that like 75% of the homeless are war veterans -- soldiers that came home with emotional wounds, and then added on to that chemical dependency wounds. I heard stories of other homeless people that needed to escape abusive situations.

I used to judge minorities for claiming a victim mentality. I used to think that color isn't a barrier to success anymore. I'd think of celebrities, athletes, politicians, and business people of different ethnic backgrounds -- man they overcame adversity so why can't everyone else? Then I heard stories from friends that experience discrimination regularly. Still today. I heard about getting pulled over for a DWB (driving while black). I saw and heard the statistics that clearly show that "White Privilege" is very real still today. I saw an HR study that a resume from a job candidate with a white sounding name is more likely to get a phone call for an interview than a resume from a non-white sounding name with the same qualifications. The playing field is not level.

Judging by merit is utilizing a broken measurement tool. Hard work is not a formula for success. The Olympics are probably the most obvious example of this, because most of the athletes getting awarded medals are people with not only hard work ethic, but with great genetics, great coaches, great training facilities, coming from big, rich countries. Judging by merit when it comes to people's careers, relationships, and other areas of life is just as flawed. Just to list a few variables that make for a bumpy playing field (in no particular order): where you were raised, how you were raised, siblings, friends, what type of education you received, genetics, IQ, mental fortitude, athleticism, diet, physical appearance, ethnicity, religion, and the list could go on and on. Countless things impact your outlook and your outcome in life. To say that you "succeed" or "fail" based on merit is B.S.

On a related side note, I should say that I'm not arguing that any one of these variables should keep anyone from "success" in the world. Any one of a countless number of variables, such as listed above, can cause adversity if you are claiming that someone can "merit" achievement by "working hard." I love the story of Nick Vujicic, the guy with no arms and no legs who uses his adversity to inspire millions. I'm a huge believer that anyone with any limitation can rise above. But I absolutely do not believe that success is merited solely by an individual's free will, and vice versa.

On another side note related to my other side note, I should say that I believe that despite millions of variables that impact our life, we can make choices that will affect us in positive ways and vice-versa. However, we can't always take credit for making good choices or making bad choices -- because of millions of variables. A lot of people, including ourselves, will make good or bad choices because we've been conditioned to think and act certain ways based on the millions of variables. The free will of other people individually and as a society plays in to our free will. It's really complicated. 

So without merit what do we have? Grace.

Jesus' life defined grace. Jesus spent much of his time focusing on the importance of taking care of the poor. Why didn't he spend his time instead telling the poor to work harder? Why didn't he open up a career center for disabled people? I contend it's because Jesus is a realist. He gets that the playing field is not level. Some people will be born into a hole that they won't climb out, some will fall into a hole they won't climb out and some will get pushed into a hole they won't climb out. It's not always the person in the hole that is to blame. It's ALWAYS our job to help someone out of the hole, and withhold judgment. Once we get to the know the person, THEN we can walk alongside them and coach them in their troubles if they ask for it.

Jesus sacrificed his life for people who lied to him, cursed him, and falsely accused him. Jesus' friends sacrificed their lives too, because they understood that grace should be given to everyone because we're all in the same boat -- we all got issues.

Merit is BS. Grace is the golden standard of measurement. Measure yourself, and others with the measurement of grace.