The Tyranny of Meritocracy - Michael Sandel
This is on my list of books to purchase for next time I'm at the store. Been watching some of his lectures and interviews, and at the core, part of the problem is this incentive structure we created through meritocracy. That common social convention would have it be that those at the top deserve their earnings, they deserve our reverence and deference, similarly for those at the bottom, though shunning and shame is their reward. But what we get wrong is that there are things beyond our own (their) control. Those at the top would not be, were it not also for some luck along the way and the contributions of a great number of other people. Likewise, those at the bottom are not there only of their own doing and also need the help of others to rise from their circumstance.