Meg Ryan is not standing by silently and letting people label her actor son Jack Quaid a nepo baby, a term used for kids of famous parents. Quaid is the son of Ryan and actor Dennis Quaid. In a new…
Doesn’t “nepobaby” imply that he didn’t earn it since nepotism is literally defined as “without merit”? If there’s another word to better describe his successes while also acknowledging his worth ethic, it is a bit unfair to call him a “nepobaby”.
Edit: Why is this getting downvoted when that’s the premise of the word? Nepotism means getting favorable treatment due to relation rather ability.
I mean nepotism happens everywhere and it happens in a varying amount of ways. The fact you know the right someone is typically called “networking” but its nepotism with a fancy coat of paint on it. Sure people who get hired to due to nepotism probably do a ton of work but its clear the nepotism got their foot in the door to be where you are. Having 2 famous actors as parents probably helped move his career far more than most since yeah most people who work from the ground up with no reference probably work as hard as him (likely even more than him) but he had the luck of having the right parents.
I’m not denying that. But that’s not nepotism. Nepotism is getting being shown favoritism because of your relation to someone rather than your abilities. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
You don’t think his first set of gigs weren’t because he had actor parents to the point, his first role was as an antagonist in the blockbuster Hunger Games (this doesn’t imply that film series is good but its big enough to make a huge splash in your career). Most upstart actors start as extras and take far smaller role, its pretty obvious he had preferential treatment because of who is related to. Good for the dude for making use of the opportunities given to him and he does good work today but at least he isn’t denying that his bloodline is a decent part of his success.
That’s not the same thing. Having opportunities that other people don’t have because of who your parents are is not the same thing as being given a job because of who your parents are. If he had to audition, it’s not nepotism. If he didn’t, it is.
Really, like fucking really? Are you suggesting if you “interview” for the job its no longer nepotism. What are you talking about? That is such an absurd concept.
No. I’m suggesting if he got the job because he earned it then it’s not nepotism. Read what I’m writing. Stop building up some straw man because you’re not able to read.
Again how did he get into the position to earn it. He had a privilege many don’t have. If he biggest concerns are being called a nepobaby, I think he is doing just fine with himself. There are many talented people who simply don’t get these opportunists. So its great for him that he was able to make use of the opportunities given to him but its undeniable. You are the one trying to force the definition of nepotism being solely based on “no merit”. As I already said most people get their positions because of nepotism we just call it a shiny new thing.
What do you mean? He auditioned for the roles and got them? No one is arguing that he’s not doing fine with himself. No one is arguing that people don’t have the same opportunities. That doesn’t make it nepotism. You know who else does really well for themselves and gets opportunities normal people don’t get, including in Hollywood even when they don’t have family there? Rich people. I’m not trying to force anything on anyone. I’m merely calling it out because it’s not nepotism in this case since he’s not just handed these jobs because of his family connections. For some reason, people want to redefine nepotism to be about the privilege of being in a family that’s known in the industry but that’s not what nepotism is. It is solely about being given something based on that family connection rather than on merit or qualifications.
I don’t see “without merit” in the definitions of nepotism I looked up. Calling someone a “nepobaby” is forcing them to confront their privilege, but also calling out a system that gives advantage to the children of privileged people.
The whole point of “nepotism” as a term is that someone is getting favoritism based on their relation rather than their actual merits. Look up the etymology and history of the word. It comes from the same root as “nephew”.
Nepotism, the unfair practice of granting jobs and other favours to relatives, whether by blood or marriage. Nepotism occurs in all kinds of workplaces and fields, but it is often associated with favouritism in business and politics.
Britannica.
Where have you found a definition that has “without merit” ?
“The opposite of nepotism, and of favouritism in general, is meritocracy, in which positions and rewards are granted to people based on their abilities.”
The entire point of nepotism is not that the relation “helped” but that it is the reason given without merit or without regard to the person’s abilities.
Yes, the opposite of nepotism is reward based entirely on merit. But nepotism doesn’t mean that someone is entirely without merit. Consider the first example they give, legacy admissions. Nepotism can get you further than a better applicant but you still had to have some degree of merit to get into the school. Or the example of Murdoch’s daughter, who was overpaid for a tv channel but still had to have one etc.
I’m not misunderstanding. You dishonestly left out and ignored the last part of that example - “primarily on the basis of their family connections.” The entire point is that you don’t have to get the good grades and do the volunteering that everyone else does. You gain entry just by virtue of the family connections aka “legacy admissions”. And the Murdoch example is also disingenuous because her father owned the network doing the purchase. He didn’t overpay because she had a great station. He overpaid because she was his daughter. That is clear nepotism.
“In education, nepotism occurs when the children or relatives of wealthy or influential people are admitted to elite schools (known as “legacy admissions”). **It can also occur **when they receive better grades and more opportunities primarily on the basis of their family connections.”
Again, you are misunderstanding. Yes, nepotism can be made without any merit at all but that’s a rare case. More often they have merit but not as much as their peers. Look into legacy admissions, it doesn’t mean you can barely read and write and still go to Harvard, more that your grades don’t have to be at the same level.
It’s a classic “all” sort of error and totally understandable. Nepotism is advancing/promoting etc someone because of their connections rather than their merit but while someone can be advanced without any merit that’s not a requisite condition for nepotism. Does that make more sense?
No, it doesn’t. If two people are equally qualified (meaning that their level of qualification is irrelevant) and one person gets the job because of who their family is, that’s nepotism. If their family connection isn’t taken into account or is unknown, it’s not nepotism. Unless Jack Quaid got selected because of his family connection, it’s not nepotism even if his opportunities were greater in number because of his wealth or his exposure to those opportunities was greater because his family already worked in the industry. That’s privilege but it’s not nepotism unless the result is directly and primarily on the basis of those connections.
To he clear, you think Jack Quaid’s name was never passed along to producers, casting agents and the like because his parents were iconic actors? Sure, capable actor but the reason his name is passed, in your mind, was never because of Ryan or Quaid?
Or, that he wasn’t as good as the next best choice but given the role as a favour to Meg who banked how many reliable hits? Like casting agents and producers just forgot who Meg Ryan is?
Frankly, that’s such an adorably innocent view of Hollywood I’d rather just let it be.
The first part you say was guaranteed to happen no matter what. That also happens with rich people who aren’t actors. The 2nd part is far less likely as the types of films and shows Jack works on have very little overlap with the type of work Meg Ryan does.
If my view of Hollywood is innocent then what’s yours, considering that I work in the industry?
Doesn’t “nepobaby” imply that he didn’t earn it since nepotism is literally defined as “without merit”? If there’s another word to better describe his successes while also acknowledging his worth ethic, it is a bit unfair to call him a “nepobaby”.
Edit: Why is this getting downvoted when that’s the premise of the word? Nepotism means getting favorable treatment due to relation rather ability.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/nepotism
I mean nepotism happens everywhere and it happens in a varying amount of ways. The fact you know the right someone is typically called “networking” but its nepotism with a fancy coat of paint on it. Sure people who get hired to due to nepotism probably do a ton of work but its clear the nepotism got their foot in the door to be where you are. Having 2 famous actors as parents probably helped move his career far more than most since yeah most people who work from the ground up with no reference probably work as hard as him (likely even more than him) but he had the luck of having the right parents.
I’m not denying that. But that’s not nepotism. Nepotism is getting being shown favoritism because of your relation to someone rather than your abilities. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
You don’t think his first set of gigs weren’t because he had actor parents to the point, his first role was as an antagonist in the blockbuster Hunger Games (this doesn’t imply that film series is good but its big enough to make a huge splash in your career). Most upstart actors start as extras and take far smaller role, its pretty obvious he had preferential treatment because of who is related to. Good for the dude for making use of the opportunities given to him and he does good work today but at least he isn’t denying that his bloodline is a decent part of his success.
That’s not the same thing. Having opportunities that other people don’t have because of who your parents are is not the same thing as being given a job because of who your parents are. If he had to audition, it’s not nepotism. If he didn’t, it is.
Really, like fucking really? Are you suggesting if you “interview” for the job its no longer nepotism. What are you talking about? That is such an absurd concept.
No. I’m suggesting if he got the job because he earned it then it’s not nepotism. Read what I’m writing. Stop building up some straw man because you’re not able to read.
Again how did he get into the position to earn it. He had a privilege many don’t have. If he biggest concerns are being called a nepobaby, I think he is doing just fine with himself. There are many talented people who simply don’t get these opportunists. So its great for him that he was able to make use of the opportunities given to him but its undeniable. You are the one trying to force the definition of nepotism being solely based on “no merit”. As I already said most people get their positions because of nepotism we just call it a shiny new thing.
What do you mean? He auditioned for the roles and got them? No one is arguing that he’s not doing fine with himself. No one is arguing that people don’t have the same opportunities. That doesn’t make it nepotism. You know who else does really well for themselves and gets opportunities normal people don’t get, including in Hollywood even when they don’t have family there? Rich people. I’m not trying to force anything on anyone. I’m merely calling it out because it’s not nepotism in this case since he’s not just handed these jobs because of his family connections. For some reason, people want to redefine nepotism to be about the privilege of being in a family that’s known in the industry but that’s not what nepotism is. It is solely about being given something based on that family connection rather than on merit or qualifications.
I don’t see “without merit” in the definitions of nepotism I looked up. Calling someone a “nepobaby” is forcing them to confront their privilege, but also calling out a system that gives advantage to the children of privileged people.
Did he have to wait tables and suck dick until he got his big break?
That’s not what I meant when I said you have to show some gumption to get into the biz.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/nepotism
The whole point of “nepotism” as a term is that someone is getting favoritism based on their relation rather than their actual merits. Look up the etymology and history of the word. It comes from the same root as “nephew”.
Where have you found a definition that has “without merit” ?
Read the full page that you pulled that definition from.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/nepotism
“The opposite of nepotism, and of favouritism in general, is meritocracy, in which positions and rewards are granted to people based on their abilities.”
The entire point of nepotism is not that the relation “helped” but that it is the reason given without merit or without regard to the person’s abilities.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/nepotism
I think you’re slightly misunderstanding.
Yes, the opposite of nepotism is reward based entirely on merit. But nepotism doesn’t mean that someone is entirely without merit. Consider the first example they give, legacy admissions. Nepotism can get you further than a better applicant but you still had to have some degree of merit to get into the school. Or the example of Murdoch’s daughter, who was overpaid for a tv channel but still had to have one etc.
I’m not misunderstanding. You dishonestly left out and ignored the last part of that example - “primarily on the basis of their family connections.” The entire point is that you don’t have to get the good grades and do the volunteering that everyone else does. You gain entry just by virtue of the family connections aka “legacy admissions”. And the Murdoch example is also disingenuous because her father owned the network doing the purchase. He didn’t overpay because she had a great station. He overpaid because she was his daughter. That is clear nepotism.
Here’s the entire text of that example:
“In education, nepotism occurs when the children or relatives of wealthy or influential people are admitted to elite schools (known as “legacy admissions”). **It can also occur **when they receive better grades and more opportunities primarily on the basis of their family connections.”
Again, you are misunderstanding. Yes, nepotism can be made without any merit at all but that’s a rare case. More often they have merit but not as much as their peers. Look into legacy admissions, it doesn’t mean you can barely read and write and still go to Harvard, more that your grades don’t have to be at the same level.
It’s a classic “all” sort of error and totally understandable. Nepotism is advancing/promoting etc someone because of their connections rather than their merit but while someone can be advanced without any merit that’s not a requisite condition for nepotism. Does that make more sense?
No, it doesn’t. If two people are equally qualified (meaning that their level of qualification is irrelevant) and one person gets the job because of who their family is, that’s nepotism. If their family connection isn’t taken into account or is unknown, it’s not nepotism. Unless Jack Quaid got selected because of his family connection, it’s not nepotism even if his opportunities were greater in number because of his wealth or his exposure to those opportunities was greater because his family already worked in the industry. That’s privilege but it’s not nepotism unless the result is directly and primarily on the basis of those connections.
To he clear, you think Jack Quaid’s name was never passed along to producers, casting agents and the like because his parents were iconic actors? Sure, capable actor but the reason his name is passed, in your mind, was never because of Ryan or Quaid?
Or, that he wasn’t as good as the next best choice but given the role as a favour to Meg who banked how many reliable hits? Like casting agents and producers just forgot who Meg Ryan is?
Frankly, that’s such an adorably innocent view of Hollywood I’d rather just let it be.
The first part you say was guaranteed to happen no matter what. That also happens with rich people who aren’t actors. The 2nd part is far less likely as the types of films and shows Jack works on have very little overlap with the type of work Meg Ryan does.
If my view of Hollywood is innocent then what’s yours, considering that I work in the industry?