Well written Richard,  but unfortunately very binary.

Can one be fairly well-off  and not be a flippin snake?

I can sketch another experience.   As a student in early 80's I cracked ribs and broke fingers (mine & others) protecting boesak & tutu from the broederbond thugs on campus.   This left one untouchable in state/corporate SA in 80's & 90's : clearance failed.

After 94 I became untouchable in a different way : white afrikaner males without broederbond (stellenbosch and pretoria mafia) connections in high places had no chance of corporate or senior state jobs.   So the few that stayed sometimes did their own small biz and did well despite the best efforts of big biz.

But now apparently we are STILL unwelcome arseholes, because we are 'rich' on merit!

first too liberal, then too white, now too succesful.   What next:  taller than the masses, not fat enough?

being anti-meritocracy is where we all go off a cliff

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