I do believe merit is a matter of definition. What that definition is though changes geographically as well as socially. I think that many things determine what makes us merit one position more than another such as money, power, precedent, influence, prestige, relationships, or opinions. Merit is decided in many ways. First of all, it comes down to a personal choice. If you personally value a specific job or education more than all others, even if that is not the same as most people around you, that will pretty much decide the matter for you. Next, merit can be decided by those in key positions. Employers may look for certain credentials they place great worth on and will not hire anyone that does not meet their criteria such as previous experience in a specific job or which college you attended. Lastly, society as a whole can decide merit. A few examples can be seen from tv/movies, magazines, or the news placing the high merit on those that can make enormous amounts of money, accumulate great things, attend a specific institution, or project their influence on a vast number of people.
I feel opportunity comes in to play with merit in basically two different ways – it can help or hinder. When wealth affects one’s ability to achieve (merit is most likely defined from a high social standing in these instances by those who are already wealthy), those that do not have wealth will not be open to opportunities right from the start, even if they are the most qualified. Wealth itself is not bad and not everyone that’s wealthy acts like this, but there are examples. In other ways, opportunity can help by showing what you’ve done to overcome the odds to make those accomplishments even more valuable and sought after.
Affirmative action comes into play here by trying to help level the playing field. I believe this is such an important part of our American culture because we have long been the land of opportunity. When hurdles are put in place by an employer,...