ABSTRACT
A salient manifestation of bourgeois ideology in the United States is the myth of meritocracy, a powerful cultural narrative that views the socio-economic hierarchy as a reflection of effort and ability. To subvert the myth of meritocracy in classroom, consider the elite theorists, such as Mosca, Marx and Gramsci, who offer lessons to students and teachers alike. The ironic and unfortunate legacy of elite theorists is that their arguments have been used to justify political and intellectual elitism. Mosca found favor among the apologists of fascism, and Marx's writings have been used to draw a sectarian line between science and ideology. From the perspective of political psychology myths are not false or perpetrated by elite groups. Critical pedagogies form most notable alternative to what the author have called open-ended inquiry. They are based on three premises: students are indoctrinated by cultural hegemony; instructors can bring students to a "level of consciousness"; which brings true understanding necessary to effect societal change.
