A part of the book Outliers that related to my life was in chapter 2, The 10,000-Hour Rule. "The question is this: is there such thing as innate talent?" (page 38) I agree with the book that yes there is such thing as innate talent, but also if I want to be successful I must prepare. For example, not only am I lucky that I have a talent for basketball, but if I really wanted to achieve a goal to play basketball in college I have to prepare. This would include summer camps, extra basketball practice and lessons. "Achievement is talent plus preparation." (page 38) It seems like if we want to be good at something or even excellent at it, it takes time to achieve our goals. It's not something that happens overnight. For example in the book it talks about being a chess master, this takes ten years. Success is a journey. Some people are lucky because in the this chapter it also talks about accidents of time, and place and birth. This means something like you being at the right place at the right time. Success may also have to do with luck. I believe you still need a skill, but a lucky break can make things easier.
The next chapter that I thought I could relate to was Chapter 4, The trouble with Geniuses, Part 2. The one quote which I think is so true is "It's the culture that you find yourself in that determines that." (page 110). This means that it you are in lower economic group you will not be as well know as someone is a wealthier bracket. When you have less money, you have to work harder to climb that mountain of success. I am lucky because my family is upper middle class. I have a lot of support from my immediate family and extended family. For example if I became a professional woman basketball player, I think that my name would be fairly well know, unlike maybe another woman basketball player that came from Arbor Hill. Our society shapes our successes and we need our family and friends to support us. In this chapter Chris Langan has an uphill battle to become successful. He is very smart, but his family is very poor. He also doesn't have any support. Chris has to do everything by himself. That is so hard to do. "These were things that others, with lesser minds, could master easily. But that's because those others had had help along the way, and Chris Langan never had. It wasn't an excuse. It was a fact. He had to make his way alone, and no one - not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires, and not even geniuses - ever makes it alone." (page 115) Our community, our culture, the way we are brought up is very important in shaping our lives. I am on the right track because of my culture and community. I will hopefully continue on the right track.
Chapter 7, The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes. This chapter is talking about how our culture determines what kind of person we are or how we handle ourselves and superiors. Most Americans think of themselves as equal. We are not afraid to talk to our bosses or superiors. We feel in most circumstances each person is approachable. The Korean Air lines were suffering from many plane crashes. "The issue of Korean Air is not a matter of individual company but a matter of the whole country, " he said. (the Korean President was speaking) "Our countries creditiblity is at stake."(page 182) We are fortunate to be Americans because we feel a sense of loyalty to our country and our freedom. We never feel like our creditiblity is at stake. I am so happy that I am an American. I enjoy my freedom, but also have morals and values. The Koreans have morals and values to but subordinates are always listen to or respected. For instance a Korean co-pilot would not be respected as highly as the Captain of the plane. The have a social class in Korea and it continues in their jobs. So if the Captain of the plane made a bad judgment call, the co pilot would not feel it was his place to speak up before the plane crash to prevent the accident. "Why is the fact that each of us comes from a culture with it's own distinctive mix of strengths and weaknesses, tendencies and predispositions, so difficult to acknowledge? Who we are cannot be separated from where we are from- and when we ignore that fact, planes crash." (page 221) I can relate to this chapter because if my basketball coach calls me out for something and I don't agree, that I do feel comfortable in telling him I don't agree. My basketball coach respects me and I respect him. But I would not allow my plane to crash with out speaking up.
In conclusion this book was very eye opening. I felt like some part of my life are connected to Malcolm Gladwell's philosophy/conclusions. I look forward to my adventure, my life and how my culture, community, home life, helps shapes my future. I am a firm believer that I can I be successful. Attitude with preparation, I am hoping will get me to the career I want to pursue. I am blessed with many things in my life I am hoping that I will also have some luck along the way. Life is full of many ups and downs, but will my story be another statistic, that upper middles class people have a better chance of not quitting and achieving our goals.
