I completely agree with (almost) everything you say here Michelle. The one thing I disagree with is (at least the implications of) this: "I've never met a person who recognized that they succeeded for any reason other than their hard work and skills."

II'm one counter-example.

I very clearly recognize that my success is due to a combination of factors, including:

1. The genetic lottery making/giving me good with numbers, good analytical skills, attentive to details, and the ability to get into flow almost at will

2. Being born into a middle-class family who emphasized the importance of education, and made it possible for me to get a PhD without taking any student loans

3. Random factors leading to some great opportunities coming my way

4. Paying attention enough to be aware of those opportunities and taking advantage of them

5. Skills I chose to work on and develop

6. Hard work and persistence

As you can see, half of the factors I acknowledge have nothing to do with anything I controlled.

As for our society being a meritocracy, I wouldn't go quite as far as you. You seem to be calling it complete BS. I think it's a little more nuanced than that.

Sure, if two people have roughly the same talents, experience, and expertise, the taller, more physcially attractive, more white, more male one will be more likely to get the job and/or raise and/or promotion.

However, given whatever hand random factors gave you, your results will usually be better if you pay attention, work hard, and stick with it than the opposite.

So, certainly not a pure meritocracy, where only relevant factors are considered, but at least (IMO) relevant factors are part of the consideration most of the time.

Because I agree with you, I recently wrote this piece I thing you'll enjoy, about how the money game is rigged against those making low incomes: https://medium.com/crows-feet/why-is-retiring-so-hard-turns-out-the-money-games-rigged-4296cb502b41