[Aqueous]

I'm not trying to take a cheap shot. The fact that meritocracies are 'messy' doesn't mean you get rid of the central message - which is that people are awarded commensurately with their talent and effort. That seems completely in line with the 'justice is fairness' version of liberal democracy - which is what I thought most progressives were fighting for.

And this idea that someone rejected the employee in question because of a rug sounds very implausible.