Outliers: Chapters 4 &5 By: Sarah Perron, Amanda Kim, and Dimitri Berardi
Written by: malcolm gladwell
Chapter 4 : There is a threshold to intelligence and family background determines the rest.
Chris Langan and Robert Oppenheimer
- same level of intelligence but differentiated by their level of "practical intelligence"
- developed by their family Background
Chris Langan + tragic background
Mom had 3 husbands prior to chris' dad, all dying of traumatic circumstances such as suicide and murder
No parental guidance, love, structure, wealth, or any of the things a more fortunate kid takes for granted
He says,"to this day i haven't met anybody who was as poor when they were kids as our family was"(91).
IN COLLEGE
Mother forgot to sign financial aid form and he lost his scholarship
Cannot even simply change around his schedule so he could still attend.
He says, "The professor never realizes that Chris Langan is good at calculus"(101).
SHOWS...
- Background didn't allow him to develop "people skills"
- Loses many opportunities
Robert Oppenheimer
Physicist who famously headed the American effort to develop the nuclear bomb during WWI
"His parents considereD him a genius"(97).
COLLEGE
Went to Harvard
Had a tutor that he hated and eventually attempted to murder him with poison
But he was only "put on probation and have regular sessions with ... [a] psychiatrist"(98).
SHOWS...
- Robert has the practical intelligence
- Was given many opportunity he didn't deserve because of his "practical intelligence"
"langan gets his scholarship taken away and oppenheimer gets sent to a psychiatrist"(98).
Family background gave oppenheimer experiences
Oppenheimer must have many situtaions that allowed him to develop his "practical intelligence"
Chris never speaks up, he lets the world slide by but Oppenheimer seizes every opportunity possible
- Born smart, learn to be savvy -
Termites + normal children
- Rich kids - the parents are involved with encouragment so they speak up for themselves
- Poor kids - are taught to view activities like singing as a dream that is not achievable, no parent involvement
"the wealthier parents raised their kid one way, and the poorer parents raised their kids another way"(102).
- Similar is the Termites
- Those who were rich made a name for themselves, and "the As overwhelmingly came from the middle and upper class"(11).
- Whereas those who grew up poor ended up in "C" class never making use of their unusual intelect
Flaws
- Kids in higher classes tend to be babied and treated like children till an older age
- Stunts their social growth as parents do everything for them
- Those who come from a less privileged class are more likely to be able to adapt to social situations and are more pliable in social interactions
- Due to the constant need to figure out how to socially care for themselves which started at a young age
Chapter 5: success is a gamble
- There is 1 perfect combination for all successful people in a given field
- Success is detemined by several hidden advantages that are out of a person's control
Joe flom + perfect combinatioN
First: You are Jewish
- Immigrants would not get jobs straight out of law school, especially not at big law firms
- Instead they did what they thought was undesirable work for lower classes settling proxy fights between major corportaion
- They ended getting skills they needed by doing the "non respectable" work
- Became well know as the go-to guys
"Setback was a golden opportunity"(124).
Second: low birth rate
- in the 1930's the birth rate was extremly low and therefore the demand for jobs was unusally high
- Growing up, more attention from the beggining, higher teacher to student ratio
- Time period greatly influences success
Third: meaningful work
- Most parents of these succesful people worked hard and adapted to their envirment
- They looked for what was in demand and ran with it
parents shaped "the world to [their] desires"(151) and in turn were in control of their future.
Creates the ultimate combination for a lawyer
Playing the slot machine - the chances of a win are slim to none
Flaws
- Gladwell makes a point of saying how having parents in the garment industry, among other things, is advantageous to becoming a successful lawyer
- He considers it is meaningful work
- He goes on to list several successful lawyers who all have parents in some sort of garment industry, but garment making isn't the only type of "meaningful work" available.
- What happened to the children of those individuals?
Works cited
Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Back Bay, 2011. Print.
Photo Sources
- http://dailyroabox.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/55.jpg
- http://www.lasplash.com/uploads//8f93/5315037da4d61-in-the-matter-of-j.-robert-oppenheimer-review-st.-sebastian-players-2.jpg
- http://managerlink.monster.com/nfs/managerlink/attachment_images/0001/3250/iStock_000005218304Small.jpg
- http://www.theparentreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/doctor-with-childnurse1.jpg
- http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-MR859_flom_E_20110223083001.jpg
- http://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/i/ED000964.jpg
- http://www.yourldsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/marbles-2.jpg