Chris Hayes and Katrina vanden Heuvel: The Twilight of the Elites

Have the elite leaders of our meritocratic society failed us? Nation Editor-at-Large Chris Hayes speaks with Editor and Publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel about the ways intelligence is used to detrimental ends, and how we can ensure it is used for good.

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  News & Politics

[weworkforamerica]

The debacle at ENRON has not been removed from my memory and I believe it is a clear example of the problem with the US economy. The ONLY part of ENRON that ever really made money was the natural gas pipeline system which paid for ALL of Ken Lay escapades and failures UNTIL it was insufficient to obscure the crimes and failures of the management. And this was repeated throughout corporate America.Those leadership class manipulated lawmakers, elections, analysts and the media to preserve the lie.

[powersliding]

it hasnt entirely failed (meritroracy)vit is just that society are overly dependent on it while it lacks so many areas that are not adapted properly..touching on the military issue which is completely based on merit that cannot and should not be able to corrupt to climb the ladder faster..id like to see thorough exams to select a leader rather than have the majority average vote aka democracy..meritocracy is not pure here and could be seen as a failure

[William W Haywood]

It is within the sordid nature of belief that we find that many who should have researched out the answers have not because of the thought that belief is akin to a type of knowledge. The only knowledge that believer's really have is the knowledge that they don't really know if what they believe is true or not. Excellent conversation too!

[MrDromaeosaurid]

Nope they have not failed us, because simply, they do not control us! We are free, sovereign individuals.

[garybsg]

OBAMA IS BRILLANT

50 MILLION ON FOOD STAMPS

100 MILLION ADULT AMERICANS NOT WORKING

[Ronald Jordan]

Well stated

[smartdave599]

Not Rachel?

[4teepee]

High levels of inequality and poverty are inevitable in the United States, given its lax immigration policies. Attempts to alleviate poverty simply lead to the immigration of more poor people. The destiny of the U.S. is that of a third world country. That is the fate to be expected of a multicultural polity.

[alectraproject]

All of those books in the background!

Must be a serious production aye?

[MountainMan23]

Thanks .. some thought provoking reflections indeed .. Why aren't the elites working to save themselves in the face of global climate disruption? Or are they? Isn't that precisely why the US & its allies are spending so much effort to "reshape' the Middle East .. to sieze the oil, the minerals, the water .. to continue to run their military & protect their gated communities from the rest of us when the proverbial feces encounter the rotating blades?