Gladwell speaks to us in chapter three of what he calls the argument of big fish in a little pond vs little fish in a big pond. He tells us that there are moments in life that we have to make decisions; and the best decision is that it is better to be a big fish in a small pond than vice versa. To prove his argument, he gives us the example of Caroline Sacks. Caroline Sacks is a very intelligent student who studied all the time in the public system, was always among the highest marks in her class and took courses in some college; in all she was outstanding. At this time she is going to graduate from high school and has to decide which university she will study at. Her father takes her to see around five universities; of which she decides that the most she likes are Brown University and her second choice is the University of Maryland. Students think that attending and graduating from a prestigious school looks better in your resume than if you graduate from a good university but not as prestigious. She apply for Brown University and was accepted. Having chosen Brown's university as her first option cost Caroline the opportunity to study the university career …show more content…
In the little pond you have more opportunities for growth, because the little pond it’s smaller you have more opportunities to show your talent; on the other hand in the big pond you will have to compete with a greater number and diversity of people. The little pond gives you visibility and prestige comes with visibility. In the little pond you will be able to standing out. He tells us about the theory of relative deprivation, he thinks that if you want to hire the best people you should look beyond the most prestigious schools; in other words, not because you graduated from Harvard, you have more knowledge than me that I graduated from USC Sumter. The employers should look at the position in which that student finished in relation to his
Both Captain John Adam and George Orwell demonstrated how their character drove their courage to be deciding factors for major decisions, whether it be negatively or positively. While Adam thought what he chose was a better decision and leading to the end he continued to being a coward until his finale and Orwell failed to be as courageous as he could have been, they both showed how their courage was a driving factor to make the most difficult decisions. Their courage was undisputed displayed in their actions throughout the stories, Orwell failed to find the courage to speak against what happened while John Adam was strong enough to find the courage to go against the pressure of people around him. Both of these stories display the importance of courage, and facing your fear of being shunned by criticizing surrounding and to stand up for what is right.
After being on the road for three years, I decided to check into returning to college at the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania. Both universities informed me that I would have to retake my first two years that I had completed at Chattanooga State. I would have to commit for another four to six years of college. I did not have the time to do this. I wanted to be finished with my bachelor?s degree within two years if possible. So, later, when they realize that their choices are limited, their futures sealed or semi-gelled, they decide that school is where they need to be (Smith, 2001).
“The way of paradoxes is the way of truth.” Oscar Wilde, Irish novelist and poet, was a man of many paradoxes, a statement that may initially imply contradiction, yet can bear immense meaning and purposes when pondered. He, along with many others, believes that through their use much truth can be told. For example, George Orwell, the author of 1984, creates an intricate, well developed society living in alignment with an all-important slogan consisting purely of paradox. The novel, set in a 1980s dystopian society, focuses on Winston Smith, a member of the Outer Party who consistently disobeys the totalitarian government known as INGSOC ruled by Big Brother.
One major decision one must make after exiting high school is whether to go to a university or go to community college. In the article “Two Year Are Better Than Four,” written by Liz Addison. She expressed her opinion on the significance of community colleges in comparison with the university. She stated that community college do not receive the acknowledgment and appreciation that they deserve. “what’s the matter with colleges?,” (Addison 255).
Many people question the success of an underdog because it once seemed impossible for them to come out on top. In his article, “How David Beats Goliath,” Malcolm Gladwell addresses the key aspects in the triumphs of the Davids in society. The biblical account of David and Goliath is not considered an anomaly by Gladwell because David’s success could be predicted by the formula of “effort over ability” (2). Gladwell writes this professional magazine article for The New Yorker. Through his writing, Gladwell has developed the face of the outsider in today’s society. In doing so, Time Magazine has “named him one of its ‘100 most influential people’” (The Gladwell Effect, Rachel Donadio). Gladwell has
the oversized brain. That cumbersome computer could hold so many contradictory opinions on so many different subjects all at once, and switch from one opinion or subject to another quickly…” (Vonnegut 67). Which entails that having a big brain causes humans to overthink things which causes problems, and they want to avoid big problems. Similarly, in Orwell’s piece the policeman is being forced to kill an elephant because it killed a white man. In the story the policeman is thinking to himself and he comes to conclusion what he ended up doing at the end of the day was the right thing to do, since the elephant was acting like a mad dog, it should be treated like one too (Orwell 374). Many humans use changing their opinions as a coping mechanism. They change their minds in order to not feel as bad/guilty for something they did, like what the policeman did. The more thoughts we have the more opinions we have, the more problems are created. This is why the new society in the Galápagos islands do not like the concept of having an
This notion of success limits creative innovation of thought and pressures people achieve a careers that they may be interest in (grammar problem?). Ho explores this idea in her essay (qtd Peterson 2002) “It’s been common knowledge that many of [Princeton] undergraduates join the financial realm every year, creating a kind of lighthearted, self-deprecating joke about becoming I-bankers and once hopeful novelists heading to Wall Street” (170). The environment around those students was able to force them to change their career options based on what is considered successful by their peers. Despite This idea of success being narrow and not inclusive to everyone, some students felt the need to give up on their dreams and give in to the pressure. This pressure is not exclusive to elite institutions, society as a whole experiences this pressure when trying to pursue a lesser value endeavors. Davidson explores the idea of exclusivity that is created by society when she says “This is the lesson of attention blindness yet again: If you measure narrowly, you see results just as narrowly. In other words, the more standardized our assessment, the more kids fail” (61). The standardized tests that the educational system uses narrows itself to specific skills and talents that society considers important. It limited what students can achieve based on the talents that they acquire. Artistic talents do not have the same value compared to conventional studies. Similarly, elite institutions like princeton and harvard, have also narrowed down what careers are considered successful or worth pursuing. Ho describes this phenomena in her essay “I found not only that most bankers came from a few elite institutions, but also that most undergraduate and even many graduate students assumed that the only “suitable” destinations for life after Princeton-the only sectors
Gladwell uses a wide variety of different examples that range from marriages to Law enforcement and everywhere in between. He seeks to revolutionize the way we attack problems
In Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley’s Brave New World, the authoritative figures strive for freedom, peace, and stability for all, to develop a utopian society. The Utopian society strives for a perfect state of well-being for all persons in the community, and over-emphasizes this factor, where no person is exposed to the reality of the world. As each novel progresses we see that neither society possesses family values nor attempts to practice them. Neither are passionate nor creative in factors such as love, language, history and literature. Our society today, in general, is unsure about the future: The nightmare of total organization has emerged from the safe, remote future and is now awaiting us, just around the next corner. It follows inexorably from having so many people. This quotes represents Watts’ fear for the future; George Orwell and Aldous Huxley both explore the future state of civilization in their novels. They both warn us of the dangers of a totalitarian society. Both books express a utopian ideal, examine characters that are forced into this state and are compelled to dealing with this society and all the rules involved.
...ation for the career of their choice. As Gatto so eloquently points out in his article, “We have been taught (that is, schooled) in this country to think of ‘success’ as synonymous with, or at least dependent on ‘schooling’…” (Gatto 150). If he is correct, and success is reliant on our schooling, only the few elite students even have a chance at becoming successful. And that is truly unfair because every student in our country’s education system deserves the chance to be able to become something great.
Her overarching thesis or focus is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of college worthiness for her intended audience that consists of current college students who may want concrete evidence that college may or not be worth going to.
Save the Whales, Screw the Shrimp is an essay written by Joy Williams, about the overwhelming complacency that todays culture shows towards nature.Williams argues in a very satirical way, that todays culture has all but completely lost touch with what nature really is, and that unless we as a nation change our morals regarding the role that nature plays in human existence, we may very well be witnessing the dawn of our own destruction.
The first half of To Kill A Mockingbird contains many classic dilemmas that serve as models for more important problems later to come. For example, Atticus is forced into a choice between disobeying Scout's teacher and doing what he feels is right for Scout. Atticus wants Scout to retain her respect for the teacher and to continue following her instructions. Yet, he knows that the time he shares with his daughter is very important and is something that will h...
Have you seen beached whales? These massive creatures strand themselves on the beach, alone or in a group, the whims of the moon’s tidal forces. Sometimes, a single whale trapped by the moon’s pull calls in distress, drawing the sympathy of the whole pod, a case of symphony dooming the whole community stranded on the beach to a slow death. In “Why we care about whales”, Marina Keegan writes about witnessing fifty or so stranded pilot whales “lying along the stretch of beach in front of her house, surrounded by frenzied neighbors and animal activists” (35,36). Like the others, she jumped in to help—a futile task which finally led to “23 pairs of whale eyes glazed over” (32,33). Keegan suggests that despite the logic that human welfares are more important than animals’, emotions of compassion towards animals blind us from(better words) feeling the fragility of human suffering near or far away from us. She herself couldn’t think philosophically in the present of dying whales. The ambiguity of her thoughts reveals the paradox between logic and emotion. (unfinished)
Gladwell demonstrates that hard work does not get people to high places but a series of opportunities and other factors will. What people have grown up to think about hard work is not true and it is demonstrated through these various examples. People will not be able to succeed, practice, and master their skills without opportunities, timing, devotion, and moral support. There is no such thing as “rags to riches” because those people would not be rich unless they had opportunities in their life. Remember that with out these key factors, people will never be able to succeed.