Sapir Partnership
The Merits (and Faults) of Meritocracy in America
Thu / Nov 3 / 7:00 pm / 87th Street and Online
Michael J. Sandel, Bret Stephens, and Rabbi Cosgrove
Merit, the recognition of excellence and skill, was historically the most important yardstick for American Jewish achievement in universities, employment, athletics, and more. These days, other values such as diversity and inclusion are increasingly playing a larger role. Is it time to rethink meritocracy, or does the championing of excellence still hold an important place in American society? Is meritocracy or the move away from it good or bad for the Jews? Drawing on Michael Sandel's provocative book The Tyranny of Merit, our panel will discuss the implications of meritocracy for American Jewish communities, and the future of our society at large.
Join us in person for a Q&A with our panelists!
Book sale and author signing will follow the event. Buy The Tyranny of Merit.
This program is presented in partnership with SAPIR: Ideas for a Thriving Jewish Future.
Michael J. Sandel is one of America’s foremost political and moral philosophers. He teaches political philosophy at Harvard University and is the author of several bestselling books on justice, ethics, democracy, and more. His latest is The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?
Bret Stephens is the Editor-in-Chief of SAPIR, and an Op-Ed columnist at the New York Times. He was previously at the Wall Street Journal, where he served as deputy editorial page editor and, for 11 years, a foreign affairs columnist. Before that, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post.
Read Michael's article, "The Limits of Meritocracy," in SAPIR
Read Bret's article, "The Merits of Meritocracy," in SAPIR