I’ve gone slightly off-topic with this book review, but I thought it provided an interesting thesis which may be useful to consider as part of bigger picture than only technology.

Click the cover to see the book on Amazon UK (affiliate link)

Teachers of Citizenship, Sociology, Economics and even History will find this book intriguing. It will certainly enable them to throw a 'curved ball' to their students and see how they react.

We have all come to believe that meritocracy is a good thing. However, according to Markowits, the ideal of meritocracy has in itself caused class divisions – between the 'elite' and the middle class. Competition to 'perform' is intense, to say the least. This push towards higher and higher achievement may be seen both in the classroom (the competition for places in 'good' schools, and the boardroom (the competition to reach the higher echelons of management).

Although a postscript tells us that the UK is better placed than the USA, the suggested solution – equality of outcomes rather than solely of opportunities – is problematic in all sorts of ways. The book is worth reading and setting essays from, even if you disagree with its thesis.

This review was first published in Teach Secondary magazine.

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