Meritocracy is a false belief

As with any ideology, meritocracy justifies the status quo, explaining why people are in a specific place in the social order.

Meritocracy also offers flattery. When success is determined by merit, each win can be viewed as a reflection of one's own virtue and worth. Material wealth is viewed as personal superiority, while worldly failures become signs of individual defects and a reason why they deserve to remain there.