Why shouldn't golds rule?

I think the biggest thing red rising got me to confront was my belief that if the smartest, most talented people just ruled the world, things would run smoothly.

It might just be fiction, but I can now better picture how an elite class genetically and culturally bred to be "the best" will probably see their subjects as lesser and deprive them of their humanity. Which honestly makes me question more deeper beliefs about meritocracy that I still need to work out.

"Empathy" and "humanity" sounds very kumbaya to me, but I don't see myself wanting to live in a society lead by an those who disregard those virtues, no matter how advanced or well run.