Golden Boy

Of all the speculative philosophies, 

merit is the utmost suppositious, 

being the domain/discipline 

with the least substantive foundation. 

This is because it deals with assigning value 

to the external world and its fixtures 

from a perspective that is forever confined 

to its own assumptions and premises. 

Constructing a meritocracy requires a metric 

by which value can be assessed and issued 

in a way that encompasses 

all disparate domains and entities, 

and allots power by this standardized metric, 

such that prominence 

construes worthiness and value. 

Golden boy is the culminating figure of this environment, 

the specimen produced by all calculations and estimations 

of how the utmost meritorious figure would appear. 

The image of him, 

gilded, lofty and without burden, 

appears to the senses 

with intrinsic sightliness and admiration. 

He is so praiseworthy 

because these attributes 

presuppose value and worth 

 within the system. 

Especially when it comes to ascribing or validating power 

do these apparent qualities matter. 

For in our assessment of authority, 

we know where to look for justification, 

and that is, of course, atop the meritocracy, 

where qualifications for being the utmost 

correspond with the physical conditions of the status itself, 

of being held aloft in the sunlight.

Golden Boy is the Portland, OR-based, pop-rock project of singer-songwriter Ian Mullin. The self-titled debut album features lyric-driven songs underlain by harmony-soaked melodies. The subtle poetry, glossed-over humor, and elaborate arrangements make Golden Boy a multi-faceted project, jam-packed with artistic detail, as is emblematic of this hyphenated/compound adjective-laden description.