[cjmb]

(Hey, OP here, thanks for reading I really appreciate it!)

Look, on the one hand this can get a bit too cynical, to the extent that you start looking for a "grim cabal" (quoting myself, not you) to blame. There are no lizard people etc. etc. :) So you have to phrase things carefully.

On the other hand, this quote from the article is me trying to highlight...exactly what you're saying here about optimizing human output:

"The slave works for his owner. The indentured servant for his master. The communist for everyone. The American for himself. It’s a powerful idea, a powerful motivator, and a powerful system. A grand competition, where advancement can be achieved through merit and competence — so don’t be shocked when those with merit and competence flock to compete. And they make perfect competitors."

I wanted to dodge the Culture War / Politics questions a bit. This was more about specifying the pain points than proposing My Genius Solution To The Utopia Problem #729.

But I didn't want to let it go unsaid that the American system powerfully motivates the sorts of people most-apt-to-compete to do exactly that.