Claims of tech meritocracy mask a narrow demographic mold for success.

Evidence

The leaders in this culture are the same people that technology discourse has celebrated for fifty years: young, white, rich men. The communicative infrastructure of the Valley rewards quantifiable metrics, like venture capital raised, number of Twitter followers, company valuation, employee number, and stock options. While the technology scene couches this hierarchy in arguments about “meritocracy” that are identical to those used by Web 2.0 celebrants, those deemed successful at social media usually fit into a narrow mold, and, as we will see, those who don’t are criticized. The techniques that are required to achieve status in the tech scene do not celebrate, for instance, outspoken women, discussion of race in technology, or openly gay entrepreneurs. To get the kind and amount of attention that is so valued in the tech industry, it is best to fit a limited set of social norms. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 46

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to critiques of meritocracy rhetoric the reader has logged in other texts on race, caste, and ivory-tower elites. — connects to: Tech meritocracy discourse masks a narrow demographic and behavioral mold — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 46; Tech’s meritocracy rhetoric contradicts its actual demographics and practices — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 645; The meritocracy myth masks structural inequality and justifies tech wealth — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 673 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Tech meritocracy discourse masks a narrow demographic and behavioral mold #corroborates (0.97) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 46
• Silicon Valley’s meritocratic rhetoric masks real class hierarchy #corroborates (0.95) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 177
• Tech’s meritocracy rhetoric contradicts its actual demographics and practices #corroborates (0.93) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 645
• The meritocracy myth masks structural inequality and justifies tech wealth #corroborates (0.85) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 673
• The ideal of meritocracy rationalizes social inequality as natural individual failure. #corroborates (0.85) — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education, 552
• Tech scene meritocracy claims mask the need for preexisting elite networks #expands (0.82) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 204
• Espousing meritocracy while reinforcing sexist talk perpetuates low women’s participation in tech #expands (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 693
• The meritocratic promise of market society disguised its classist foundations. #expands (0.80) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1571
• Elite tech status requires acceptance by a small closed inner network #corroborates (0.78) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 202
• Lack of women in tech reflects bias, not a pipeline shortfall #exemplifies (0.75) — Brooke Erin Duffy, (Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love, 91