Mr. de Montebello’s dismissiveness highlights how white men are often unaware of the manifold ways they have benefited, both historically and presently, from the very identity politics they criticize among women and minorities. Women pushing for a percentage of leadership positions that reflects their numbers are rebuked for prioritizing identity over merit — even though more women in the field are better qualified than their male colleagues.

With the announcement on Tuesday that Max Hollein, a 48-year-old born in Vienna, would be its new director, the Met has opted to maintain its status quo. The point is not that Mr. Hollein isn’t qualified for the post; it’s that so are many others, and his hiring sheds light on the implicit biases of museum culture that continue to inform what being “qualified” means at the Met. In response to criticism of his appointment, Candace Beinecke, a trustee who was a co-leader of the search committee, said, “The museum’s commitment to diversity is evident in everything we do, and the search was no exception to that.”

This professed commitment to diversity does not appear to have been put in practice. Mr. Hollein’s appointment brings the total number of white men hired to lead the institution to 10. What’s more, in March, the Met ended its pay-as-you-wish policy for out-of-state visitors, and now requires that New York state residents show some form of identification for free admission. Such a requirement will likely discriminate against minorities or residents who either don’t have legal identification or are reluctant to show it.

Mr. Hollein stood out as a candidate because of his prowess as a developer and “aggressive fund-raiser,” attractive qualities for a museum in financial turmoil. But the Met’s choice of a director based on those attributes is puzzling because, in the aftermath of Mr. Campbell’s resignation the museum decided to separate artistic and fiscal responsibilities, appointing Daniel Weiss as chief executive and president. Now, instead of taking the opportunity to hire a woman or a person of color — or both — the Met has put two white men at top, instead of just one.