You might not immediately notice the latest change to come to GitHub unless you’re standing in its San Francisco headquarters and looking down at the floor. GitHub has removed the centerpiece of its faux Oval Office waiting room, a circular mat emblazoned with the phrase, “United Meritocracy of GitHub.”

We thought ‘meritocracy’ was a neat way to think of open source but now see the problems with it. Words matter. We’re getting a new rug. — Chris Wanstrath (@defunkt) January 22, 2014

GitHub CEO Chris Wanstrath, who just stepped into his new role a few days ago, probably didn’t expect his first action to involve furnishings. But while a simple change in office decor may not seem like a big deal on the surface, the removal of the rug signals a shift in GitHub’s public image.



GitHub's Julie Ann Horvath, a designer who also founded the company's all-female lecture series Passion Projects, said the rug first became a problem when photos of it made their way into feminist discussions online.

In theory, a meritocracy should be a good thing. It basically boils down to a society in which people reap the rewards of their skill and effort. But as countless advocates for women and minorities in the tech world have pointed out, meritocracies are a lot messier in real life. The tech industry isn’t still predominantly white and male because white men are better at their jobs than everyone else, it’s because many white men have had more opportunities to succeed than their minority and female counterparts.



The false idea that the tech industry is a meritocracy hurts everyone. It allows Paul Graham to continue thinking that the founders who make it into Y Combinator are the best of the best, not just the best people with the most privileges. It also furthers a culture of entrepreneur worship.



Technology may be more meritocratic than many other industries, but not to the extent that you can attribute anyone's success solely to their own smarts and hard work. Opportunities, connections and socioeconomic status still matter. So do race and gender.