The Aristechracy

In the 1980s “a computer in every home” was a crazy dream. But the rapid rise of technology until that (in the West at least) became normal has created a lot of opportunity. And, a new aristocracy. The Aristechcracy.

Many Aristotechs think the Aritechracy is a meritocracy, This is because they are a) delusional and b) not aware what meritocracy means (it’s satire).

Three ways it’s like the Old World Order:

1. It’s undeserved. While there are some genuinely impressive people in tech, most of us got lucky. At least by being middle class enough to afford a computer growing up.
2. It relies on economic disparity and gatekeepers. This article about disrupting laundry really irritated me. The laundromats are the same. The customers are the same. Now there is a layer of tech between them that makes for a little more convenience – for the consumers. The laundromats are now in the same, or worse position because all business comes through an app… that they have no influence over. That app is somehow worth more than the laundromat.
3. It’s self-perpetuating. Aristocrats used to marry each other. Aristotechs hire and invest in each other.

The thins is, for all Aristotechs talk about “disruption”, they don’t actually want to be disrupted.

They talk about the education of 5-15 year olds, but not the empowerment of people. They’d sooner profit off them instead.

The status quo isn’t supposed to change. It’s supposed to be perpetuated. The system is working as intended. Or at least until the Aristotechs leave the mortals for the purely Technocratic Island instead. Regrettably that isn’t satire.

First, Do No Harm

This is harmful in the same way that any elite class lacking empathy, high on the delusion of the godtalent-given right is.

If you despise humans, how do you create things for them?

If you don’t empathise with them, how do you begin to understand what they need?

Just because you are winning the “meritocracy” doesn’t make it real.

Profiting off a class system isn’t “disruption”, it’s the same old story with a new name. And yet somehow, it just so happened that the white dudes are still the ones in charge.