Outliers (2008) | Malcolm Gladwell

Person A rose to success because he/she was really good. The best. The basic premise of success seems straightforward. It is not. It may seem like a person had an innate ability that’s why he/she stood out. It isn’t. Circumstances, when and where, culture, what the parents did for a living mattered to the story of Person A’s success.

Gladwell splits this book into Opportunity and Legacy. I guess he split this in the message that success came from circumstances and from the environment one came from.

It is more non-fiction than a self-help book. It doesn’t tell you directly how to be successful. It tells you how some of the prominent people now became successful. It appears more anecdotal than scientific. It is the perspective of a writer/storyteller first. It will almost be a decade upon release of this book. Much has been made in the science of hard work since then. Works like Angela Duckworth, K. Anders Ericsson, Carol Dweck etc. Some of which would have related to what Gladwell is saying.

The first half opens with a message that we have a tendency to give advantage to those we judge as having more potential. And 10,000 hours is roughly the time required to be successful in a field. Intelligence has a threshold. Once you get past 120-130 you’re smart enough. Other skills or forms of intelligence matter more past this point. A kid raised in “concerted cultivation” will be much more successful than one that isn’t. A kid needs a community to tell him/her to speak up and have a healthy sense of entitlement.

The 2nd half ties more into the culture and disposition of a nation. Are they more direct? Do they have a tendency to reject or follow authority? How long do they work at a task etc. One he makes is that Asians are good at math and work hard because the culture comes from working early and hard at rice paddies.

It doesn’t take into account survivor’s bias. Or maybe that’s the point. There weren’t many, if any at all were given the same opportunity to flourish. Anyway, this is left unmentioned. Something doesn’t quite fit. I can’t figure it out yet. It seems simplistic. There really is still the role of luck here. To be born at the time right time and place, from the right parents gives one an advantage. But one still has to put in the time to be good at a field.

Popular posts from this blog

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle (2018)

Image
TL;DR: Great cultures are built on Safety, shared Vulnerability, and an established Purpose In the self-help space, these things come up again and again: Safety, Purpose, Meaning. Whether in looking at leadership, or to an individual's path to success, happiness, well-being, the literature seems pretty set on what it sees upon as the standards. And this book falls in line with those standards. This book was great. Daniel Coyle is a great storyteller. When you can blend abstract ideas with concrete examples, and get a good balance, it gets digested much easier. This book reads pretty easily too. It seemed to be built to be simple and structured.
Read more

what ever happens, I'm happy now.

and i'm now 24. I'm still young enough to mess up and make up for lost time, but old enough to know not to. I try and look back at what my past 24 years has been. That's easier nowadays, i think. To look back, i n this day and age of social media.  Especially if you've documented every few days of what's happening with you.   But as they say, it's only the bright sides you see on social media. Which I believe is mostly true.  I think I've learned more importantly, that life isn't always the bright sides. Because really, it's not. Yes, to look on the bright side as a focus is a good thing. But to expect everything to be that is not. We will never have everything we want. There will always be failures. There will be disappointments. There will be bad days. But the idea is to never stop trying. because, what else is there? I think i'm more aware now than when I was younger. But i also think i don't know as much as when I would be olde...
Read more

In the Mood for Love (2000 - Hong Kong)

I can't remember now how many times I've seen In the mood for love. "If there's an extra ticket, would you go with me?"  Again, at missed connections. i think it's a bigger tragedy than unrequited love. A missed connection suggests that, a love could have flourished. both people want it, but for whichever reason, the connection never quite contacted. Looking deeper into the last few scenes. Mr. Chow, decides to leave for Singapore. Leaves a message for Mrs. Chan. "If there's an extra ticket, would you go with me?" Mrs. Chan, goes to their old hotel room and finds she's too late. 3 years later in Singapore, Mrs. Chan goes into Mr. Chow's apartment, looks at the room and phones Mr. Chow. She connects. He answers. She doesn't talk.  Why? Why doesnt she answer? She spent that whole time looking for Mr. Chow. We'll never know why. Sayang! 3 years later, Mrs. Chan returns to their old apartmen...
Read more