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Modern systems of power have mastered a subtle but devastating psychological sleight of hand: they tell people that their suffering is a result of personal failure rather than systemic design. This narrative — the myth of meritocracy — serves to neutralize dissent, isolate the suffering, and uphold life-disabling structures under the guise of fairness.
Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjørkskov’s original essay, “The Problem Isn’t You, It’s the System,” offers a blunt and necessary counter-narrative. This expanded reflection uses the lens of Life-Value Onto-Axiology (LVOA) to deepen the analysis and show how blaming individuals for systemic failures is not only unjust — it is functionally essential for preserving the status quo.
This booklet:
- Critiques the cultural gaslighting embedded in “self-help” narratives that ignore structural deprivation.
- Unmasks the ideological utility of meritocracy as a tool for systemic denial and elite consolidation.
- Offers a life-value aligned framework to distinguish between true empowerment and exploitative distraction.
- Reaffirms that systems are human constructs — changeable, redesignable, and accountable.
- Concludes with concrete actions for activists, educators, and policymakers to reorient systems toward life coherence and shared flourishing.
The message is clear: the economy is not sacred, suffering is not shameful, and you are not alone. Transformation begins when we stop blaming ourselves and start designing systems that serve life.