Why the Weak Survive: Cultural Selection Against Competence in Organizations

In many contemporary organizations, a sense of resignation is widespread, particularly among the middle tier of workers. Phrases like "the more competent one is, the more likely they are to leave" or "there’s no point in getting promoted" are frequently heard. Especially in mid-level positions, career advancement tends to favor individuals who suppress dissent from subordinates and exhibit blind obedience to superiors. As a result, capable and sincere individuals are often isolated, worn down, and eventually leave the organization. Based on my own experience working in both private-sector companies and public research institutions, I have observed this structure firsthand. These experiences gave rise to a pressing question: Why does this structure recur? Why is competence suppressed within organizations? To address this, I introduce the concept of cultural selection, applying memetic and evolutionary frameworks to analyze how organizational dynamics evolve not through merit, but through the replication of compliant cultural behaviors (Blackmore, 1999; Boyd & Richerson, 1985; Henrich, 2015).