This episode of 'It's Relative' explores the concept of meritocracy and argues why it has become a trap. Featuring Daniel Markovitz, Yale professor and author of 'The Meritocracy Trap,' the discussion dissects the rise of elite parenting, the collapse of the middle class, and how current labor markets are exacerbating inequalities. The conversation includes insights into the social and economic pressures faced by both privileged elites and middle-class professionals, along with the impact on future generations.

Additionally, it addresses how asset wealth and labor income contribute to this meritocratic disparity, shedding light on the paradoxical nature of today’s elite society.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: The Illusion of Meritocracy

00:27 The Reality of Social Mobility

01:15 Welcome to the Show

01:38 The Meritocracy Trap Explained

02:09 The Rise of the New Elite

03:41 Middle Class Stagnation

05:58 The Disappearing Mid-Skill Jobs

08:10 The Cost of Elite Success

09:16 The Burden of Expectations

16:15 Economic Justice and Inequality

16:43 The Changing Class Map

17:22 Challenges for Today's Young Generation

19:40 The Rise of Meritocracy: A Historical Perspective

20:42 Winners and Losers in the Meritocratic System

22:11 The Middle Class Squeeze

23:00 The Dualism of Labor and Asset Wealth

24:44 The Impact of AI on the Job Market

26:27 Meritocracy and Immigrant Success Stories

29:39 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Meritocracy

33:00 Gender Dynamics in the Meritocratic System

40:01 Advice for the Next Generation

41:21 Conclusion: The Future of Meritocracy

About It’s All Relative

Ever wondered why the world works the way it does? It's All Relative unravels the unspoken rules and hidden connections that shape our lives. We dig into the origins of privilege, power, and social structures, offering candid conversations that challenge assumptions and provide fresh insights into the intricate tapestry of modern society. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the forces that truly matter.

About Eliza

Dr. Eliza Filby is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, broadcaster, and one of the world’s leading experts on generational change. Specialising in the shifts that define how we live, work, and connect across generations, Eliza delivers sharp insights, no-nonsense truths, and fresh takes on our parents' world, our present, and what’s next for our kids.

Her latest book, Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad (Biteback, 2024), became a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller, sparking global conversations about the future of wealth, family, and opportunity.

Buy Inheritocracy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritocracy-Should-Talk-about-Bank/dp/1785908588

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Are we living in a world where hard work isn't enough? In this episode of It’s All Relative, join Dr Eliza Filby with guest Polly Toynbee as they dissect the societal implications of the profound shift away from meritocracy, discuss the impact on social mobility and examine what this means for the future of opportunity and economic justice.

This crucial discussion challenges the very foundations of how we understand success, exploring the undeniable rise of "Inheritocracy" – a system where inherited wealth, connections, and privilege increasingly dictate outcomes, replacing the long-cherished ideal of meritocracy.

Take a deep dive into

* The breakdown of traditional meritocratic pathways

* How intergenerational wealth perpetuates inequality

* The role of privilege in career and life success

* The challenge of achieving true social mobility

About It’s All Relative

Ever wondered why the world works the way it does? It's All Relative unravels the unspoken rules and hidden connections that shape our lives. We dig into the origins of privilege, power, and social structures, offering candid conversations that challenge assumptions and provide fresh insights into the intricate tapestry of modern society. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the forces that truly matter.

About Eliza

Dr. Eliza Filby is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, broadcaster, and one of the world’s leading experts on generational change. Specialising in the shifts that define how we live, work, and connect across generations, Eliza delivers sharp insights, no-nonsense truths, and fresh takes on our parents' world, our present, and what’s next for our kids.

Her latest book, Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad (Biteback, 2024), became a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller, sparking global conversations about the future of wealth, family, and opportunity.

Buy Inheritocracy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritocracy-Should-Talk-about-Bank/dp/1785908588

https://www.instagram.com/dr_eliza_filby/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eliza-filby/

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'Jade isn't even my real name. Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.' Jaded is the must read novel of 2024, a debut from former City lawyer, Ela Lee. It's an interrogating exploration of race, class, work and sexual assault, not to mention what we tell ourselves (and others) in order to fit in at any cost. Ela sits down with Eliza and talks us through how she wrote Jaded in lockdown, millennial novels and heroines and the complexities and contortions involved in intersectional identity in the 21st century.

You can follow Ela Lee and purchase her book Jaded here. For all things Dr. Eliza Filby follow here.

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Eliza speaks to Prof. Bobby Duffy about the strengths and weaknesses of generational analysis; why it is useful, why it is not and how we can understand the generational gap a little better. Bobby and I had fun trying to dissect stereotypes from fact and some of the methodological challenges of analysing society through the prism of age. This is a good one! You can buy Bobby's book here and follow him on Twitter here.

Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack.

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Today Eliza sits down with writer, campaigner and educator Jeffrey Boakye to discuss the intersection of race and education. Race is inescapable when it comes to our education system; 86% of teachers are white even though 1 in 4 primary school pupils are from an ethnic minority and 1 million school children speak a language other than English as a first language. The disconnect is real. Here Jeffrey talks personally about the challenges of being a black teacher in a white system. Crucially, Jeffrey addresses what needs to be discussed and explored not only in our schools and in our businesses but across society at large. This is a MUST listen episode for anyone interested in diversity, teaching and history. Jeffrey goes deep on how we can all talk about racial differences in a way that is constructive and inquisitive rather than built on fear and our past.

You can follow Jeffrey on Twitter and LinkedIn and buy 'I heard what you said' and do check out his website and latest book, Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer.

Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack.

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It is the most desired profession for young people today but only 4% of influencers earn more than $100k a year... that means a lot of frustrated wannabes in an era when it is becoming ever more difficult to gain a following. Creator burnout is real and platforms are proliferating. This week Eliza sits down with the founder of Barcroft Media, Sam Barcroft, to discuss the future of the creator economy; Is TikTok bad for creators? Why niche is the way forward, why the metaverse is meh... and why Sam is in favour of a state regulated internet. This is essential listening for creators, for parents with Gen Z kids and basically any one who is interested in the future of the internet. You can follow Sam here and follow his Creatorville blog here.

Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack.

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Eliza is joined this week by Professor Helen McCarthy to discuss the history of working motherhood in the UK from the 1900s to the present day. Helen manages to put our contemporary struggles around working motherhood, childcare and parenting into a historical context covering everything from the origins of working from home for women (spoiler: they've been doing it for centuries!), to parenting pressures (nothing new) and how the professionalisation of women's careers in the 1990's was only possible by the reintroduction of a servant economy (mostly performed by women of colour and immigrants). What have successive governments, feminist groups and workplaces got right? And what do we need to do to ensure that all working mothers (not just white collar workers) get a decent wage, benefits and manage their caring responsibilities. You can connect with Helen on Twitter and buy her excellent book 'Doubles Lives' here.

Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack.

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