Unfortunately comrade, the real existential consequences of materialism (and the reality that it isn't meritocratic but simply the web of networks and connections you are born in and must exercise agency in) is something ppl can't generally cope with.

So they believe they've earned their position even though the deciding factor is often who they know.

This doesn't necessarily mean they are unqualified (though sometimes it is) but that they did not truly ever 'earn' it.

If only had leaned even harder into "you didn't build that", it would have been better.