"I think there is a very strong feeling amongst the utopian Left, in particular, that skill sets, intelligence, and work ethic are evenly distributed amongst all people"

I'm not sure they even have enough awareness of the link between skills/ work ethic/ intelligence and a functioning civilisation to view it like that.

I think they just view 'careers' as another entitlement (a resource up for grabs) ...... and 'diversity' as the means to gain access to those resources and opportunities. This is how feminism has trained us to view the world (preaching to the converted I know...)