H-1B visa crisis reveals a dissonance between culture and merit in the US

Vivek Ramaswamy, a prominent American politician, recently commented on American culture's veneration of mediocrity over excellence, particularly criticizing the emphasis placed on social events and sports over academic achievements. This comment has sparked a debate on the relationship between culture and merit, especially in the context of American immigration policy, including the H-1B visa.

Cultural and Meritocracy Clash in Society

• Culture vs. Merit: Ramaswamy's statement challenges the American cultural celebration of social events like prom and sports over academic excellence, asserting that such a culture doesn't produce top engineers and innovators.
• The Immigrant Perspective: A hypothetical parallel is drawn with a comment from an immigrant politician in India, which criticizes the prioritization of entertainment over development. This comparison underlines the discomfort of immigrants facing criticism over cultural practices that may not align with dominant narratives in their new countries.
• Cultural Shifts in Merit Definition: Historically, merit in American colleges shifted to include non-academic criteria such as "character" and extracurricular activities, partly as a response to increasing Jewish enrollments and rising anti-Semitism.

Cultural Values Across Civilizations

• Multiple Intelligence Theory: Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences suggests that different cultures value different types of intelligence, like physical agility in ancient Greece or artistic skills in Confucian China. These diverse historical values show that intelligence, as understood today, is a relatively modern Western concept.
• Cultural Relevance of Merit: Merit, in different cultures, has been aligned with specific virtues such as courage, wisdom, or creativity. This perspective questions whether merit, as we understand it in the modern sense, is truly universal or shaped by historical and cultural forces unique to each society.
• The Current American Dilemma: The clash between culture and merit in America is most visible in debates surrounding H-1B visas and the treatment of highly skilled immigrant professionals. The growing rift between cultural values and merit in the American public sphere mirrors the challenges faced by immigrant communities, including those from India, in finding acceptance within an evolving societal structure.

Political and Economic Implications

• Immigrant Policies and Populism: The US immigration debate reflects the growing divide between elite immigrant professionals and populist resentment towards immigration. Highly skilled immigrants, particularly in tech fields have been aligned with their political and economic goals.
• The Intersection of Elites and Populism: The Trump-Musk alliance showcases the blending of populist support from disenfranchised poor Whites with the backing of Silicon Valley elites. This nexus represents a powerful political force that could shape future immigration policies to prioritize high-skilled immigrants while maintaining a populist agenda.
• Shift in Public Perception of Merit: The growing emphasis on high-skilled immigrant professionals in sectors like technology contrasts with the populist view that questions the value of expertise.

Practice Question:

Q. Examine the interplay between cultural values and merit in shaping societal structures. How do immigration policies reflect this relationship, particularly in the context of the US and its treatment of highly skilled immigrants?