Tech meritocracy discourse masks a narrow demographic and behavioral mold

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: Parallels the critique of meritocracy in the reading list and connects to the broader skepticism about Bay Area ‘meritocratic’ self-narratives (cf. eviction and tech criticism literature). — connects to: Tech’s meritocracy rhetoric contradicts its actual demographics and practices — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 645; Espousing meritocracy while reinforcing sexist talk perpetuates low women’s participation in tech — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 693; The meritocracy myth masks structural inequality and justifies tech wealth — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 673 (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Tech’s meritocracy rhetoric contradicts its actual demographics and practices #corroborates (0.92) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 645
• The meritocracy myth masks structural inequality and justifies tech wealth #corroborates (0.92) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 673
• Tech culture’s self-image conceals a closed system of privilege centered on profit #corroborates (0.85) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 647
• Openness rhetoric in open-source culture masks gender-exclusionary status hierarchies #exemplifies (0.82) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 173
• Espousing meritocracy while reinforcing sexist talk perpetuates low women’s participation in tech #corroborates (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 693
• Tech scene meritocracy claims mask the need for preexisting elite networks #qualifies (0.78) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 204