--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The highborn talk about merit, bettering…" description: "\"“The highborn talk about merit, bettering yourself, democracy, but it’s all crap. A rich man’s got a vote allocation of a thousand, and Aba’s got one, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/julian-north-32453_rich-man_the-highborn-talk-about-merit-bettering_189032.jpg" --- # The highborn talk about merit, bettering yourself… ![“The highborn talk about merit, bettering yourself, democracy, but it’s all crap. A rich man’s got a vote allocation of a thousand, and Aba’s got one, because she pays less tax. They get their own streets, their own parks, their own police, their own special net. Then they complain about the burden…” quote by Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/julian-north-32453_rich-man_the-highborn-talk-about-merit-bettering_189032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/julian-north-32453_rich-man_the-highborn-talk-about-merit-bettering_189032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/julian-north-32453_rich-man_the-highborn-talk-about-merit-bettering_189032.jpg) > ““The highborn talk about merit, bettering yourself, democracy, but it’s all crap. A rich man’s got a vote allocation of a thousand, and Aba’s got one, because she pays less tax. They get their own streets, their own parks, their own police, their own special net. Then they complain about the burden of the low Aptitude Tiers of society.”” [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that elites claim meritocracy while exploiting tax and service inequities to maintain power. **In simple terms:** Elites claim fairness but use tax loopholes to dominate. Key Takeaway Question systemic inequities. Themes inequality elitism tax policy democracy social justice Mood critical skeptical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - political analysis - social activism - tax reform - public services - civic engagement Key Concepts Power dynamics economic disparity public policy Questions to Reflect On - How do tax structures reinforce class divisions? - What reforms could equalize public services? A Different Perspective The claim of meritocracy can be a veneer for entrenched privilege. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bettering Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bettering-yourself/) [Crap Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crap-rich-2002690/) [Democracy Crap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-crap-2002691/) [Highborn Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highborn-talk-2002693/) [Rich man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-man/) [Tax Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax-streets-2002692/) ## Related quotes > [The Best Revenge is Bettering Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avenged-sevenfold/the-best-revenge-is-bettering-yourself/) [Avenged Sevenfold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avenged-sevenfold/) > [Always work hard and do your best because you'll never hear successful people say I really regret working. You get what you deserve. Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-young/always-work-hard-and-do-your-best-because-you-ll-never-hear/) [Brian Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-young/) > [“Evolving and bettering yourself is wonderful, but not if the set of standards and values you adopt smothers you into oblivion in the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/evolving-and-bettering-yourself-is-wonderful-but-not-if-the-set-of/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The most important key to bettering yourself - is just that "yourself" - (g swiss)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-swiss/the-most-important-key-to-bettering-yourself-is-just-that-yourself-g/) [G Swiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-swiss/) > [“The three castes were “nucleus” (or “core”), “basic” (or “wavering”), and “hostile.” Three criteria determined your caste: your birth and background, your perceived loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/the-three-castes-were-nucleus-or-core-basic-or-wavering-and-hostile/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [The concept of bettering yourself at the disadvantage of others is out the door, and the new one is to help one another while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/the-concept-of-bettering-yourself-at-the-disadvantage-of-others-is/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [Change becomes a Challenge when you resist it All the time. Change becomes a Chance at bettering yourself when you See its potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mckenzie/change-becomes-a-challenge-when-you-resist-it-all-the-time-change/) [Heather McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mckenzie/) > [“I know the world seems terrifying right now and the future seems bleak. Just remember human beings have always managed to find the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winters-cat/i-know-the-world-seems-terrifying-right-now-and-the-future-seems/) [Winters Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winters-cat/) > [There's always going to be obstacles and people that doubt you. So it's about proving people wrong and bettering yourself and trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-kuzma/there-s-always-going-to-be-obstacles-and-people-that-doubt-you-so-it/) [Kyle Kuzma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-kuzma/) > [“Not satisfied with what he's got? Is that it? That's husbands all over. Ungrateful pigs. You do everything for them, you bring up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/not-satisfied-with-what-he-s-got-is-that-it-that-s-husbands-all-over/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [As soon as I find myself in the presence of a rich man, I cannot help looking upon him as an exceptional and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/as-soon-as-i-find-myself-in-the-presence-of-a-rich-man-i-cannot-help/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [The rich man in goal the poor man in filth. The rich man lay on his lazy boy leather couch. The poor man sits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-rich-man-in-goal-the-poor-man-in-filth-the-rich-man-lay-on-his/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) [Miguel Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cervantes/) > [“To our benefit, death isn't affected by an economic failure, and it never takes a holiday. In addition, a bereaved rich man is easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/to-our-benefit-death-isn-t-affected-by-an-economic-failure-and-it/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) ## More by Julian North > [“I wrote that outsiders were often lonely, but they needed to be to change the world around them. And they understood loyalty far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/i-wrote-that-outsiders-were-often-lonely-but-they-needed-to-be-to/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk.’” Jalen’s thin smile emerged. “Cicero,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/the-higher-we-are-placed-the-more-humbly-we-should-walk-jalen-s-thin/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“the party that governed, restored an orderly nation. Success through merit alone. Economic rationalism. Prosperity through order.” He snickered. “Finally, a party that kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/the-party-that-governed-restored-an-orderly-nation-success-through/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“The uproar among the masses would be suppressed, then the information discredited and forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/the-uproar-among-the-masses-would-be-suppressed-then-the-information/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“Among the families I grew up with, and within my own, there is always the game. This competition to be more, have more, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/among-the-families-i-grew-up-with-and-within-my-own-there-is-always/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“Groups of highborn clustered in the halls like nests of roaches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/groups-of-highborn-clustered-in-the-halls-like-nests-of-roaches/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“Most of us always desire more, and some must therefore have less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/most-of-us-always-desire-more-and-some-must-therefore-have-less/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“Torrential rain hammered the windshield. It was as if the glass was melting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/torrential-rain-hammered-the-windshield-it-was-as-if-the-glass-was/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“A woman with legs up to my chest emerged from one of the illustrious establishments. She was shaped like an hourglass, but had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/a-woman-with-legs-up-to-my-chest-emerged-from-one-of-the-illustrious/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“seen the sort who came and went. They were the people who sat in dark corners of bars, the ones whose names you whispered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/seen-the-sort-who-came-and-went-they-were-the-people-who-sat-in-dark/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) > [“The forces of ignorance are viciously powerful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-north/the-forces-of-ignorance-are-viciously-powerful/) [Julian North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) [Explore all 12 Julian North quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-north/) ## More Rich man quotes > [“To our benefit, death isn't affected by an economic failure, and it never takes a holiday. In addition, a bereaved rich man is easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/to-our-benefit-death-isn-t-affected-by-an-economic-failure-and-it/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) [Miguel Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cervantes/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The rich man in goal the poor man in filth. The rich man lay on his lazy boy leather couch. The poor man sits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-rich-man-in-goal-the-poor-man-in-filth-the-rich-man-lay-on-his/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [As soon as I find myself in the presence of a rich man, I cannot help looking upon him as an exceptional and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/as-soon-as-i-find-myself-in-the-presence-of-a-rich-man-i-cannot-help/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [“Not satisfied with what he's got? Is that it? That's husbands all over. Ungrateful pigs. You do everything for them, you bring up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/not-satisfied-with-what-he-s-got-is-that-it-that-s-husbands-all-over/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [The rich man can afford to be happy and wise; the poor man is wiser still, for he understands sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-chase/the-rich-man-can-afford-to-be-happy-and-wise-the-poor-man-is-wiser/) [William Henry Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-chase/) > [I'd rather marry a poor man with a rich heart, than a rich man with a poor heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-marry-a-poor-man-with-a-rich-heart-than-a-rich-man-with-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I pretended to be precocious, people started the rumor that I was precocious. When I acted like an idler, rumor had it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-i-pretended-to-be-precocious-people-started-the-rumor-that-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [ \[There are dangers in\] the disposition to hunt down rich men as if they were noxious beasts. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-are-dangers-in-the-disposition-to-hunt-down-rich-men-as-if-they/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I didn't want to move or act like a rich man. I wanted to dance in a pair of jeans. I wanted to dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-didn-t-want-to-move-or-act-like-a-rich-man-i-wanted-to-dance-in-a/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs ! Believers who are poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/god-blesses-those-who-are-poor-and-realize-their-need-for-him-for-the/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“The rich man is always sold to the institution which makes him rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-rich-man-is-always-sold-to-the-institution-which-makes-him-rich/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In the world of high finance the shilling of the idle rich man can buy more than that of the poor, industrious man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-world-of-high-finance-the-shilling-of-the-idle-rich-man-can/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [You must be independent and able to do for yourself. Then you do not have to marry a rich man; you can marry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/you-must-be-independent-and-able-to-do-for-yourself-then-you-do-not/) [Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/) [Browse all 472 Rich man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The highborn talk about merit, bettering yourself, democracy, but it’s all crap. A rich man’s got a vote allocation of a thousand, and Aba’s got one, because she pays less tax. They get their own streets, their own parks, their own police, their own special net. 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