Sanico 1

Teo Sanico

Dr. Lueck

CTW I

25 October 2017

The Role of American Meritocracy in The Other Wes Moore Commented [1]: My titles are either very
straightforward or comedic. Given the topic of this
paper is rather serious, I thought a straightforward title
Christopher Hayes, author of Twilight of the Elites, would agree if one were to say that was more appropriate.

America - a meritocratic country - is the creator of unparalleled opportunities for people

regardless of ethnicity or gender. However, he would also agree if one were to say that this same

meritocracy is also the birther of a gargantuan, ever-increasing rift that has forced society to

separate people based on socioeconomic status. The African American population in the United Commented [2]: The first couple sentences of most of
my essays usually begin by immediately confronting
the problem. This is evident in the first two sentences
States during the 1960s is the best representation of a flawed meritocracy; and this representation of this intro.
Commented [3]: Within my introduction, you will
is best displayed in The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. This autobiography describes how two almost always find a few words that are used
throughout my essay. Proving that America is a flawed
African American boys - both named Wes Moore - end up on completely different sides of the meritocracy is the primary purpose of this paper;
therefore, I intentionally repeat this phrase.

socioeconomic scale. Even with similar backgrounds in Baltimore during the 1960s, the author,

Moore, ends up achieving great success, while Wes, the convict, serves a life sentence in prison.

The explanation for this phenomenon, however, only becomes clear after examining Hayes

words on the idea of meritocracy and its flawed application in America. The words of Hayes on Commented [4]: You will always find my thesis at the
end of the first paragraph. I almost always refer to the
literary works involved or their authors in my thesis.
meritocracy provide an explanation and a new perspective on the situations depicted in The
Commented [5]: Most of my body paragraphs have
the same structure, in this order:
Other Wes Moore.
1. A Transition Sentence
Hayes describes that a meritocratic institution aims to put those with the most merit in 2. Topic sentence(s) for the paragraph
3. My Own, Personal Argument/Opinions
4. Author's Quote
power. Merit alone would separate the upper and lower classes, meaning there would be a level 5. Expansion on Author's Quote
6. Repeat Steps 3-5 if necessary
7. Quick Summary of Paragraph
playing field for those of every cultural background. However, with American meritocracy, this 8. A Transition Sentence

is not the case. Hayes references a teacher named Kyla Torres, who is a teacher based in New In a way, I present a mini-essay in a paragraph. I try to
make it this way so each paragraph contains one view
of a broader argument. This is evident in this
paragraph, and the rest of the body paragraphs.
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York city that has worked at private institutions for black and latino students. She witnessed

firsthand the flaws of a meritocratic establishment, and explains: There is no such thing as a

level playing field Theres always going to be some kind of advantage (Hayes 6). Now, Kyla

Torres graduated from a high school named Hunter High. This is a meritocratic school; and only

the brightest are accepted through an entrance exam. This was an extremely effective tool at

recruiting diverse, young minds; however, as time went on, there seemed to be an ever-

increasing percentage of Whites and Asians. And this is because of money: the White and Asian

families surrounding Hunter High were the wealthiest. Therefore, they could spend more money

on resources to better prepare for this entrance exam. Hayes sums it up very clearly by saying,

as inequality in New York has skyrocketed and competition for elite education has reached a

fever pitch, Hunters single entrance exam proves to be a flimsy barrier to protect the schools

meritocratic garden from the incursions of the world outside its walls (Hayes 6). Now, this

immediately relates to America. Like Hunter High, America was intended to be a place of equal

opportunity. However, because of many pre-existing, external factors, American meritocracy has

become a land of un-equal opportunity. Now, what happened in Hunter High has been occurring

in all of America since the invention of the standardized test. To take this argument further,

Hayes says The education system begins testing children, and the score becomes their defining

identity (Hayes 8). The score, essentially, becomes your identity; and in a meritocracy, your

score is all that matters. Hayes even references Barack Obama, who wisely says: We are living

in a world where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge - a good education is no

longer just a pathway, but a prerequisite (Hayes 10). Because White and Asian families have

had the most wealth in America throughout the 21st century, the African American families and

other minority groups are extremely underrepresented in places of higher education and power.
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The Other Wes Moore describes the best and worst effects of a meritocracy; results which can be

found by individually investigating Moore, the author, and Wes, the convict. Before

understanding the dichotomy between the two, however, one must investigate Baltimore through

the lens of Hayes definition of Americas meritocracy.

Because of the flaws of American meritocracy, the city of Baltimore is divided based on
wealth and race: this is called systemic racism. This form of racism means that the very quality
of having darker skin put Moore and Wes at immediate disadvantages. Additionally, they are
Commented [6]: The second body paragraph's
structure is just like the first body paragraph's structure.
The only thing different is that the second body
paragraph takes information from the first and builds on
it. Again, this body paragraph provides a different view
of the argument.

growing up right after the Riots sparked by MLKs death, meaning the educational and political

systems in Baltimore are in complete disrepair. Moore further explains the unfortunate

circumstances during his high school graduation: In Baltimore City, it (the graduation rate of

high school students) was a dismal 38 percent. For many in the audience, this was the first high

school graduation they had ever attended (Moore 108). Because private educational institutions

were nearly impossible to commit to, African Americans in Baltimore are forced to join gangs

instead of education if they are to make a substantial living for themselves. Both Moores, in fact,

are growing up during a time where gangs supplied African Americans with the most immediate

and profitable jobs, a revised hierarchical structure, and protection from the outside world. The

African American population within Baltimore, a city which has suffered at the hands of

American meritocracy, had to create its own solution to avoid total marginalization. This

solution, evidently, is usually outside the law. Moore elaborates by writing from Wes

perspective: We were all enclosed by the same fence revealing ourselveseven our cruelty

and crimesas if that fence had created a circle of trust. A brotherhood (Moore 89). This is

gang mentality forming in the youngest, most innocent of children; and through the words of

Hayes this is can be connected systemic racism in American meritocracy. This quote is
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displaying that the African American in Baltimore had two choices: try to succeed in the

meritocratic system, or completely remove yourself from it. The Other Wes Moore perfectly

highlights how Moore succeeded within the system, and how Wes removed himself from the

same system and paid the price.

There are many factors that attributed to Moore and Wes making different decisions, but Commented [7]: In the third body paragraph, the
structure stays the same. This paragraph will draw from
the the first and second body paragraphs.
Hayes would argue that the main reason Moore succeeded was because he had the more

meritocratic mindset and worked within the American system. To explain, both Wes Moores

understood something that Hayes repeats in his analysis: Effort and talent are rewarded,

ignorance and sloth punished people are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the

content of their character (Hayes 13). Both Moores displayed nearly identical skills during their

professional years: Moore ended up at Valley Forge (because of his mother, Joy) and

experienced military course, while Wes started training himself to run his drug crew with the

precision of a military unit (Moore 137). At one point in his life, Wes even attempts to stick

with the Jobs Corps Center to try and rejoin the American system. However, what made these

two so different is one simple thing: merit. Although Wes is talented and diligent in his actions,

Moore has the same characteristics plus merit in the form of a higher education. And because

Moore displayed his talents in an American meritocracy, he was able to succeed despite being

from a crippled Baltimore. Wes, on the other hand, had no merit within American society,

making Wes even more marginalized. In order to build a better life for himself and his family, he

was had to turn to Baltimore gangs; this led to his eventual imprisonment. The American

meritocracy rewarded Moore because of his merit and education, but the same institution
punished Wes because of his efforts outside the system and his lack of merit.
Commented [8]: Most of the time, my intro and body
paragraphs alone can serve as an essay by itself.
However, my conclusion is one of the most important
parts of my papers for three reasons. Firstly, I add
information that proves one side of an argument is
correct. Secondly, my conclusion is where my personal
voice as a writer shines the most. Lastly, I provide an
explanation as to why an argument is happening in the
first place.
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Now, the American meritocracy is obviously not the only factor in determining the fates

of Moore and Wes. However, by looking through the lens of Hayes on meritocracy, it is clear

that Americas flawed policy forced both Moore and Wes into very, fragile situations. Hayes

provides an example on how to better understand the factors at play within a meritocracy: What

we call intelligence. seems to emanate from some alchemical mix of genetics, parental

modeling, class status, cultural legacies, socioeconomic peers, and early educational

opportunities (Hayes 13). It is clear how all of these factors contributed to the different lives of

Moore and Wes, but it is also important to note that all of these also determine intelligence.

And in American meritocracy, intelligence seems to be everything. This brings up further

commentary regarding how intelligent people are not always able to share their knowledge

because of financial barriers. This leads to the rich, essentially, buying their way to merit while

those who are less fortunate are left in the dust. This is the ultimate flaw of American

meritocracy. Education, in modern American society, is becoming more of a business than a

common right. This, essentially, is a plutocracy. However, Hayes provides an ultimate

explanation for why the purest meritocracies become corrupt: The Iron Law of Meritocracy

states that eventually the inequality produced by a meritocratic system will grow large enough to

subvert the mechanisms of mobility. Unequal outcomes makes equal opportunity impossible.

The Principle of Difference will come to overwhelm the Principle of Mobility (Hayes 16).

Understanding the words of Hayes after understanding The Other Wes Moore provides one with

not only understanding of the book, but provides an explanation for why some minority groups

are in places they are today.

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Works Cited

Hayes, Christopher. Twilight of the Elites: America after Meritocracy. Broadway Books,

2013.

Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Spiegel & Grau Trade

Paperbacks, 2011.