---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obama is the splendid fruit of a…"
description: "\"Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.\" — George Packer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png"
---

#  Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.

![“Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.” quote by George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png)

> “Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.”

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Meritocracy can produce leaders, but it also risks overlooking systemic inequities.

**In simple terms:** Meritocracy creates leaders but can ignore inequality.

Key Takeaway

Recognize both strengths and limits of meritocratic systems.

Themes

leadership meritocracy inequality social mobility

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political social commentary

When to use this quote

- political analysis
- education reform
- career advancement

Key Concepts

political theory social justice systems thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards can ensure meritocracy is fair?
- How does meritocracy affect social cohesion?

A Different Perspective

Meritocracy may reinforce existing privileges if not checked.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Fruit Meritocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-meritocracy-1039937/) [Meritocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meritocracy/) [Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama/) [Obama Splendid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-splendid-1039936/) [Splendid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splendid/) [Splendid Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splendid-fruit-1039938/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/)

## Related quotes

> [In a meritocracy, actors who act well get good roles. They don't get to be journalists, too - a job that, in a meritocracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/in-a-meritocracy-actors-who-act-well-get-good-roles-they-don-t-get-to/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Meritocracy is a good thing. Whenever possibly, people should be judged based on their work and results, not superficial qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/meritocracy-is-a-good-thing-whenever-possibly-people-should-be-judged/)

[Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/)

> [“We simply cannot engage with either the ills or promises of society if we continue to turn a blind eye to the egregious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-kyodo-williams/we-simply-cannot-engage-with-either-the-ills-or-promises-of-society/)

[Angel Kyodo Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-kyodo-williams/)

> [“Where the establishment emphasized humility, prudence, lineage, meritocracy celebrates ambition, achievement, brains&amp;self-betterment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hayes/where-the-establishment-emphasized-humility-prudence-lineage/)

[Christopher Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hayes/)

> [Innovation and meritocracy was what America was based on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/innovation-and-meritocracy-was-what-america-was-based-on/)

[Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/)

> [One of the things that is great about this country is that we're a meritocracy. Aspirational, hard-working people who want to come here -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/one-of-the-things-that-is-great-about-this-country-is-that-we-re-a/)

[Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/)

> [Those who are able to climb up the ladder will find ways to pull it up after them, or selectively lower it down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/those-who-are-able-to-climb-up-the-ladder-will-find-ways-to-pull-it/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [The hard thing for me, and it took me many years to understand, the concept of Hollywood not being a meritocracy - I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-todd/the-hard-thing-for-me-and-it-took-me-many-years-to-understand-the/)

[Suzanne Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-todd/)

> [People don't believe this, but Hollywood really is a meritocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/people-don-t-believe-this-but-hollywood-really-is-a-meritocracy/)

[Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/)

> [“Keeping people in jobs they are not suited for is terrible for them because it allows them to live in a false reality while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/keeping-people-in-jobs-they-are-not-suited-for-is-terrible-for-them/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [Is class snobbery a social reality in the United States? Absolutely, and the kind that's codified by meritocracy is probably more toxic than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/is-class-snobbery-a-social-reality-in-the-united-states-absolutely/)

[Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/)

> [The world is not a meritocracy, as much as we may like to pretend that it is. And we have a long way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-world-is-not-a-meritocracy-as-much-as-we-may-like-to-pretend-that/)

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

> [“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/as-democracy-is-perfected-the-office-of-president-represents-more-and/)

[H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/)

> [Stand-up comedy in the end, unlike the rest of the entertainment industry, is a meritocracy. There's a certain level of undeniability you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/stand-up-comedy-in-the-end-unlike-the-rest-of-the-entertainment/)

[Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/)

> [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

## More by George Packer

> [I don't think they need to be nice to reporters, but the White House seems to imagine that releasing information is like a tap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-don-t-think-they-need-to-be-nice-to-reporters-but-the-white-house/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [So many writers grew up in tortured isolation, in revolt against their families. I and my sister were in a house where writing was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/so-many-writers-grew-up-in-tortured-isolation-in-revolt-against-their/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Afghanistan can't police its borders, and its neighbors give sanctuary and assistance to insurgents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/afghanistan-can-t-police-its-borders-and-its-neighbors-give-sanctuary/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Hillary Clinton's such a classic Democratic political figure and believes so much in institutions and in gradualism in the old way of reaching compromises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/hillary-clinton-s-such-a-classic-democratic-political-figure-and/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [“In other words, Foxx represented what Sarah Palin (speaking at a campaign fundraiser in Greensboro three weeks before the election) called “the real America,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/in-other-words-foxx-represented-what-sarah-palin-speaking-at-a/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [America's vast population of working poor can only get so poor before even Walmart is out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/america-s-vast-population-of-working-poor-can-only-get-so-poor-before/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [The Olympics are never just about sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-olympics-are-never-just-about-sports/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Amazon's identity and goals are never clear and always fluid, which makes the company destabilizing and intimidating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/amazon-s-identity-and-goals-are-never-clear-and-always-fluid-which/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Ideology knows the answer before the question has been asked. Principles are something different: a set of values that have to be adapted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/ideology-knows-the-answer-before-the-question-has-been-asked/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Everything seems set up for success in digital journalism - money, eyeballs, software, brands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/everything-seems-set-up-for-success-in-digital-journalism-money/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Climate change joined immigration, job creation, food safety, pilot training, veterans' care, campaign finance, transportation security, labor law, mine safety, wildfire management, and scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/climate-change-joined-immigration-job-creation-food-safety-pilot/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Much of the international unease with the Sochi Games has focused on the threat of terrorism, Putin's domestic repressiveness, and the Russian campaign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/much-of-the-international-unease-with-the-sochi-games-has-focused-on/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [I've been interested in American politics since I was eight. That was in 1968. It was an interesting year. I was a huge Eugene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-ve-been-interested-in-american-politics-since-i-was-eight-that-was/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [When I interviewed Paul Bremer in his office, he had almost no books on his shelves. He had a couple of management books, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/when-i-interviewed-paul-bremer-in-his-office-he-had-almost-no-books/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

[Explore all 144 George Packer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

## More Fruit quotes

> [“On the third day, she smelled the fruit as soon as she came in. She followed the scent to the kitchen, and the peach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/on-the-third-day-she-smelled-the-fruit-as-soon-as-she-came-in-she/)

[Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/)

> [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/love-is-a-fruit-in-season-at-all-times-and-within-the-reach-of-every/)

[Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/)

> [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/)

[Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/)

> [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/)

[Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/)

> [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/)

[William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/)

> [In our own time the whole of Greece has been subject to a low birth rate and a general decrease of the population, owing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/in-our-own-time-the-whole-of-greece-has-been-subject-to-a-low-birth/)

[Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/)

> [I eat healthy most of the time. Whole foods are the best for you when you are super active, so I get plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/i-eat-healthy-most-of-the-time-whole-foods-are-the-best-for-you-when/)

[Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/)

> [While traveling, I love granola bars, trail mix nuts, dry cereal and fruit for on-the-go snacks. I also try and start the day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-rampone/while-traveling-i-love-granola-bars-trail-mix-nuts-dry-cereal-and/)

[Christie Rampone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-rampone/)

> [When the savages of Louisiana wish to have fruit, they cut the tree at the bottom and gather the fruit. That is exactly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-the-savages-of-louisiana-wish-to-have-fruit-they-cut-the-tree-at/)

[Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/)

> [The impresario function is about intervening with the company's more administrative management structure. It is about trying to establish a sense of boundaries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-impresario-function-is-about-intervening-with-the-company-s-more/)

[John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/)

> [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [If it could only be like this always – always summer, always alone, the fruit always ripe and Aloysius in a good temper...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-it-could-only-be-like-this-always-always-summer-always-alone-the/)

[Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/)

[Browse all 2,743 Fruit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Packer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritocracy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fruit"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritocracy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/george-packer-2917_fruit_obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritoc_2498793.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Obama is the splendid fruit of a meritocracy.” — George Packer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George Packer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Obama is the splendid fruit of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritocracy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/obama-is-the-splendid-fruit-of-a-meritocracy/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
