Remember that the symbol for gay pride, the Pink Triangle, was branding used by Nazi Germany to denote rapists, sex offenders, and gays for gas chambers and labor camps. It was not meant to have positive connotations.
What I meant here is that we should not lose sight of the original idea behind meritocracy. The author of The Rise of the Meritocracy was arguing that a meritocracy becomes a clique who defines what "merit" means. If you do not think there is any merit in being nice to others, you end up defending toxic behaviours under the guise of justice and equality.