Jaipur Literature Fest: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lauds Professor Michael Sandel on his new book

Jaipur, Feb 22: The Jaipur Literature Festival, that is known as the "greatest literary show on Earth", is a sumptuous feast of ideas. Each year, several world's greatest writers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders and entertainers are welcomed on one stage to champion the freedom to express and engage in thoughtful dialogue.

This year, Dailyhunt and OneIndia are the proud partners as live streaming partner and digital media partner respectively for the Jaipur Literary Fest 2021.

Earlier, the fest witnessed Harsh Mander, an Indian author, columnist, researcher and social activist who works with survivors of mass violence and hunger, as well as homeless persons and street children, having a discussion about his latest book "Locking Down the Poor: The Pandemic and India's Moral Centre."

In today's session, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was in conversation with Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel where the two spoke about his new book "The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?" that shows the polarised politics of time reflecting the deep divide between winners and losers.

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During the discussion, the Congress leader lauded Michael Sandel and said that he has been following his works for a long time.

Sandel gives an entirely new turn to the debate on "merit". He reminded that meritocratic ethic is problematic not only because it is applied in an unequal society but the flaw lies in the very concept itself. When people complain about meritocracy, the complaint is usually not about the ideal but about the failure to live up to it.

In the wake of this conventional discourse, the author rightly raises skepticism even in the case of a fully realised meritocratic society by asking, "What if the real problem with meritocracy is not that we have failed to achieve it but that the ideal is flawed?"

"In recent decades, markert driven globalisation, the divide between winners and losers have been deepening. Poisoning our politics are driving us apart. With the growing inequality, there is a change in attitude. Those who landed on top, have come to believe that their success is their own doing," Sandel said.

The 14th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2021 (JLF) has also followed suit of virtual. The festival took place in a virtual avatar from February 19, and will end on 21. The fest will again resume from February 26 to 28.