Names and connections did matter before Internet. It is overrated these days for most people.
A knowledgeable specialist with experience will have strong local
connections and can have his name popularized globally on Internet, just by getting good visibility online projects/blogs/research/etc.
You dont need harvard connections to create value for the society.
You're right, but people associated with Harvard will still have a leg up compared to most other people. If there weren't these small "cool kidz clubs" that amplify and bolster each others' reputations even when not deserved, experts would be more uniformly recognized regardless of background. That is more optimal than cronyism for pooling talent.
There are plenty of these cool kidz clubs for elites, like your local polo club, country club, golf club, sailing/yacht club, skiing & snowboarding club etc.
AA is such a silly band aid solution that only benefits rich, while the optimal solution should be to lift lives of all poor people across the board.
Institutions such as harvard will lose their relevance over time, for example nobody cares about harvard CompSci people.
A knowledgeable specialist with experience will have strong local connections and can have his name popularized globally on Internet, just by getting good visibility online projects/blogs/research/etc.
You dont need harvard connections to create value for the society.