The meritocratic emphasis on effort and hard work seeks to vindicate the idea that, under the right conditions, we are responsible for our success and thus capable of freedom. It also seeks to vindicate the faith that, if the competition is truly fair, success will align with virtue; those who work hard and play by the rules will earn the rewards they deserve. We want to believe that success, in sports and in life, is something we earn, not something we inherit. Natural gifts and the advantages they bring embarrass the meritocratic faith. They cast doubt on the conviction that praise and rewards flow from effort alone. In the face of this embarrassment, we ______________________________________. This can be seen, for example, in television coverage of the Olympics, which focuses less on the feats the athletes perform than on heartbreaking stories of the hardships and obstacles they have overcome, and the struggles they have gone through to triumph over injury, or a difficult childhood, or political turmoil in their native land.
* meritocratic: 능력주의의 ** vindicate: (정당성을) 입증하다