It's All Relative with Dr Eliza Filby

This episode of 'It's Relative' explores the concept of meritocracy and argues why it has become a trap. Featuring Daniel Markovitz, Yale professor and author of 'The Meritocracy Trap,' the discussion dissects the rise of elite parenting, the collapse of the middle class, and how current labor markets are exacerbating inequalities. The conversation includes insights into the social and economic pressures faced by both privileged elites and middle-class professionals, along with the impact on future generations. Additionally, it addresses how asset wealth and labor income contribute to this meritocratic disparity, shedding light on the paradoxical nature of today’s elite society. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: The Illusion of Meritocracy 00:27 The Reality of Social Mobility 01:15 Welcome to the Show 01:38 The Meritocracy Trap Explained 02:09 The Rise of the New Elite 03:41 Middle Class Stagnation 05:58 The Disappearing Mid-Skill Jobs 08:10 The Cost of Elite Success 09:16 The Burden of Expectations 16:15 Economic Justice and Inequality 16:43 The Changing Class Map 17:22 Challenges for Today's Young Generation 19:40 The Rise of Meritocracy: A Historical Perspective 20:42 Winners and Losers in the Meritocratic System 22:11 The Middle Class Squeeze 23:00 The Dualism of Labor and Asset Wealth 24:44 The Impact of AI on the Job Market 26:27 Meritocracy and Immigrant Success Stories 29:39 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Meritocracy 33:00 Gender Dynamics in the Meritocratic System 40:01 Advice for the Next Generation 41:21 Conclusion: The Future of Meritocracy About It’s All Relative Ever wondered why the world works the way it does? It's All Relative unravels the unspoken rules and hidden connections that shape our lives. We dig into the origins of privilege, power, and social structures, offering candid conversations that challenge assumptions and provide fresh insights into the intricate tapestry of modern society. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the forces that truly matter. About Eliza Dr. Eliza Filby is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, broadcaster, and one of the world’s leading experts on generational change. Specialising in the shifts that define how we live, work, and connect across generations, Eliza delivers sharp insights, no-nonsense truths, and fresh takes on our parents' world, our present, and what’s next for our kids. Her latest book, Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad (Biteback, 2024), became a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller, sparking global conversations about the future of wealth, family, and opportunity. Buy Inheritocracy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritocracy-Should-Talk-about-Bank/dp/1785908588 Instagram LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we living in a world where hard work isn't enough? In this episode of It’s All Relative, join Dr Eliza Filby with guest Polly Toynbee as they dissect the societal implications of the profound shift away from meritocracy, discuss the impact on social mobility and examine what this means for the future of opportunity and economic justice. This crucial discussion challenges the very foundations of how we understand success, exploring the undeniable rise of "Inheritocracy" – a system where inherited wealth, connections, and privilege increasingly dictate outcomes, replacing the long-cherished ideal of meritocracy. Take a deep dive into * The breakdown of traditional meritocratic pathways * How intergenerational wealth perpetuates inequality * The role of privilege in career and life success * The challenge of achieving true social mobility About It’s All Relative Ever wondered why the world works the way it does? It's All Relative unravels the unspoken rules and hidden connections that shape our lives. We dig into the origins of privilege, power, and social structures, offering candid conversations that challenge assumptions and provide fresh insights into the intricate tapestry of modern society. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the forces that truly matter. About Eliza Dr. Eliza Filby is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, broadcaster, and one of the world’s leading experts on generational change. Specialising in the shifts that define how we live, work, and connect across generations, Eliza delivers sharp insights, no-nonsense truths, and fresh takes on our parents' world, our present, and what’s next for our kids. Her latest book, Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad (Biteback, 2024), became a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller, sparking global conversations about the future of wealth, family, and opportunity. Buy Inheritocracy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritocracy-Should-Talk-about-Bank/dp/1785908588 https://www.instagram.com/dr_eliza_filby/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eliza-filby/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Jade isn't even my real name. Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.' Jaded is the must read novel of 2024, a debut from former City lawyer, Ela Lee. It's an interrogating exploration of race, class, work and sexual assault, not to mention what we tell ourselves (and others) in order to fit in at any cost. Ela sits down with Eliza and talks us through how she wrote Jaded in lockdown, millennial novels and heroines and the complexities and contortions involved in intersectional identity in the 21st century. You can follow Ela Lee and purchase her book Jaded here. For all things Dr. Eliza Filby follow here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is AI over-hyped? Or do we dangerously underestimate its looming impact? Which businesses should embrace AI, and which might resist it? In this fascinating episode Eliza talks to tech entrepreneur and leading AI expert Dr Lewis Lui about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, as well as the risks and complexities surrounding it. Lewis began his career at McKinsey before advising private equity and law firms. He went on to found Eigen Technologies, which enables businesses to transform their data and documents into powerful, actionable insights. He holds a Doctorate in Atomic and Laser Physics from the University of Oxford and a Masters in Theoretical Physics. He also received Harvard University's first ever Joint Bachelors in Fine Arts and Physics, and it's this passion for the creative and the technical - the human and the machine - that makes him such a compelling voice on how AI is going to transform our society. You can follow Lewis Liu and Eigen Technologies on on LinkedIn and @Eigen_Tech and @lewiszliu on X. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #tech #innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza speaks to Prof. Bobby Duffy about the strengths and weaknesses of generational analysis; why it is useful, why it is not and how we can understand the generational gap a little better. Bobby and I had fun trying to dissect stereotypes from fact and some of the methodological challenges of analysing society through the prism of age. This is a good one! You can buy Bobby's book here and follow him on Twitter here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Eliza sits down with writer, campaigner and educator Jeffrey Boakye to discuss the intersection of race and education. Race is inescapable when it comes to our education system; 86% of teachers are white even though 1 in 4 primary school pupils are from an ethnic minority and 1 million school children speak a language other than English as a first language. The disconnect is real. Here Jeffrey talks personally about the challenges of being a black teacher in a white system. Crucially, Jeffrey addresses what needs to be discussed and explored not only in our schools and in our businesses but across society at large. This is a MUST listen episode for anyone interested in diversity, teaching and history. Jeffrey goes deep on how we can all talk about racial differences in a way that is constructive and inquisitive rather than built on fear and our past. You can follow Jeffrey on Twitter and LinkedIn and buy 'I heard what you said' and do check out his website and latest book, Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is the most desired profession for young people today but only 4% of influencers earn more than $100k a year... that means a lot of frustrated wannabes in an era when it is becoming ever more difficult to gain a following. Creator burnout is real and platforms are proliferating. This week Eliza sits down with the founder of Barcroft Media, Sam Barcroft, to discuss the future of the creator economy; Is TikTok bad for creators? Why niche is the way forward, why the metaverse is meh... and why Sam is in favour of a state regulated internet. This is essential listening for creators, for parents with Gen Z kids and basically any one who is interested in the future of the internet. You can follow Sam here and follow his Creatorville blog here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza is joined this week by Professor Helen McCarthy to discuss the history of working motherhood in the UK from the 1900s to the present day. Helen manages to put our contemporary struggles around working motherhood, childcare and parenting into a historical context covering everything from the origins of working from home for women (spoiler: they've been doing it for centuries!), to parenting pressures (nothing new) and how the professionalisation of women's careers in the 1990's was only possible by the reintroduction of a servant economy (mostly performed by women of colour and immigrants). What have successive governments, feminist groups and workplaces got right? And what do we need to do to ensure that all working mothers (not just white collar workers) get a decent wage, benefits and manage their caring responsibilities. You can connect with Helen on Twitter and buy her excellent book 'Doubles Lives' here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Eliza on an nostalgic tech trip with journalists Marie Le Conte and Chris Stokel-Walker in which we discussed millennials' relationship with the internet; from the early days of vlogs and blogs to the rise of monetised influencer culture and the birth of millennial self-branding. How did we mature on-line and what does the future hold as we hit mid-life and are no longer the "kool kids" of the internet? Should we feel nostalgia, relief or anger that all the tech optimism we felt in our youth has dissipated? You can connect with Marie and Chris on Twitter. You can buy Marie's book here and Chris' library catalogue here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza sits down with fatherhood speaker, activist and mobiliser, Elliot Rae and academic Dr. Jasmine Kelland to discuss whether we are seeing a revolution in fatherhood and what we can do to change the gender in-balance when it comes to childcare. Why is take-up of shared parental leave so low? What can companies do to help fathers and what struggles do fathers face in the workplace? What impact has the Covid pandemic had on fatherhood? How does the conversation around fatherhood intersect along class and race lines? And what's the one change that Elliot and Jasmine would like to see happen to help fathers be better fathers. I had so many questions for these two and they certainly delivered - we are seeing such important steps around enhancing fatherhood and these two experts are critical voices in this conversation. A podcast not to be missed. You can find Elliot on LinkedIn and you can buy his book here. You can also follow Jasmine here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza chats to demographer Dr. Paul Morland about what Elon Musk has defined as a "bigger risk to civilisation than global warming", the demographic ticking time bomb. Dr. Morland takes us through the complex subject of demography, explaining how a combination of low birthrates, ageing society and low infant mortality is playing out across the globe and is the major cause for all sorts of issues; from innovation to war, from funding public services to economic success. Dr. Morland explains what an ageing world means for us all and argues for a pro-natal culture, incentivising people to breed from taxing of the childfree to prizes for producing three kids. But what about personal choice? And how can we feminise the study of demographics so that the data and the fear mongering better reflect how people, especially women, live their lives? You can buy Paul's Book 'Tomorrow's People' here. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second part of my sit down with China expert, Zak Dychtwald, we delve a little deeper into some key themes: In what ways are attitudes towards work changing? Are we seeing a rejection of the 'slog'? What about young people's attitude towards the state, especially now that lockdowns have been lifted? What's the long-term significance of the recent riots? Are young people beginning to question and criticise the state in a different way? In this fascinating episode, Zak delves into a whole range of issues from western coverage of China to the changing nature of masculinity and the 'parent eaters' phenomenon. This is part two of two interviews with Zak. You can buy Zak's book 'Young China' here, and also follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first episode of Season 2, Eliza speaks to China expert, Zak Dychtwald, about the generational and familial dynamics within the world's fastest growing economy. What has life been like for the 400-million strong Chinese millennials that not only grew up under the one-child policy, but also witnessed China's transition into an economic superpower? And what about Gen Z, to whom all this is normal, how are they asking different questions about work and life? Zak covers everything from familial pressure to feminism.... plus recounts his own experience as a code-teaching court jester to the 'little emperor' generation. This is part one of two interviews with Zak. You can buy Zak's book 'Young China' here and also follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Do follow me, Dr. Eliza Filby, on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and sign up to my weekly substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join speaker and writer, Dr. Eliza Filby, as she seeks to explore how society and generations are changing in this permacrisis age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of It's All Relative, Eliza speaks to Jenk Oz and Carmen Greco, mother-son co-founders of Thred Media. They discuss the social activism of GenZ, the upcoming-generation of entrepreneurs and the realities of life as a teenage CEO. You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, TikTok @Eliza_Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of It's All Relative, Eliza speaks to Alastair and Grace Campbell. They discuss political fatigue, navigating the culture wars and disarming trolls. In these turbulent times, it's not one to be missed! You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, TikTok @Eliza_Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flying the flag for the Valleys of South Wales are father and daughter, Katy and Jonny Owen. Jonny is an acclaimed producer, director, writer and actor, with a penchant for telling generation-defining stories; from the Aberfan disaster that struck his father’s community in 1966, to Wales’ legendary performance in the 2016 European Football Championship. Katie is pursuing her love for music, something she inherited from her dad, as a DJ and presenter. She has found success supporting the likes of Blossoms, Kasabian and Reverend and the Makers and stood in for Jack Saunders on Radio 1 in 2019.The pair discuss leaving Wales in pursuit of their passions, sharing a roof with Line of Duty legend Vicky McClure, and the resounding impact that Jonny’s late father has had on both of their lives. Be in with a chance to win some Aecorn goodies by subscribing to Eliza's newsletter. You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it like to grow up with a government minister for a Dad? Eliza speaks to Patrick and Jimmy about the changing nature of conservatism, the power of social mobility, and talking Brexit at the dinner table. The Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin started his career as a coal miner, before turning his hand to politics. Serving in a variety of Ministerial positions, he was Chairman of the Conservative Party until 2018, when he was appointed Chairman of Visit Britain and granted a life peerage. His son Jimmy worked in public relations, before joining his Dad in Whitehall as Prime Minister Theresa May’s Special Advisor on Business Relations. He is now a fellow-podcaster and host of Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future. Be in with a chance to win some Aecorn goodies by subscribing to Eliza's newsletter. You can follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby. Also, be sure to check out the excellent podcast, Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is music the potent force in culture that it once was? Eliza speaks to musicians Johnny and Nile Marr about how the industry has changed (for the better and worse) over the last 40 years. Having begun his career as the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, Johnny has since collaborated with musical icons from Talking Heads to Billie Eilish and continues to achieve success as a solo artist. Following in his footsteps, his son Nile has made a name for himself on the Manchester scene and beyond. His debut solo album, ‘Are You Happy Now?’ was released last year to great acclaim. Be in with a chance to win some Aecorn goodies by subscribing to Eliza's newsletter at https://www.elizafilby.com/newsletter. You can also follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, Twitter @elizafilby and Instagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza speaks to Tricia Cusden who started an on-line beauty business, Look Fabulous Forever, in her sixties, and her daughter, Anna, who also works for the family business. Hear Tricia discuss why she decided to take the plunge later in life and her resentment at fulfilling societal expectations and having children young. Anna discusses why her generation is less groomed than their mother's generation and why she joined the family firm. Be in with a chance to win some Aecorn goodies by subscribing to Eliza's newsletter at https://www.elizafilby.com/newsletter You can also follow Eliza on LinkedIn Dr Eliza Filby, Twitter @elizafilby andInstagram @dr_eliza_filby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.