Where's the meritocracy?

Há tantos burros mandando

em homens de inteligência

que às vezes fico a pensar

que a burrice é uma ciência!

António Aleixo

Who wrote this was a simple and, obviously, intelligent man. But as so often happens, simple and intelligent men don't go that far in this world. I wonder why is it that the most capable people are always in the shades? And why is it that the world is usually ruled by idiots?

This assumption seems to contradict the very basics of Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest. But, on a closer look, probably the truth is that those with less ability (to think, judge and act) are effectively the strongest of our species. It is they that rule! The peaceful-minded, the well-intentioned, the truly intelligent, the generous-hearted, the well-balanced don't have it easy in life. Theirs is a winding path full of obstacles. Everything is just so hard to get and the game so unfair.

Maybe it is because they are so fed up of all the battles thay they prefer to stand still in the shadows and not call attention to themselves. And here is another thing: these tremendous human beings are usually shy. Why is that so? On the contrary, the ignorant hot air balloon sort of human likes the spotlight, the attention and everything else that inflates their voracious egos.

Wouldn't it be great to live in a genuinely meritocratic society? If you honestly did your best and were rewarded for it, wouldn't this be a better place and a fairer world?