Essay On The Trouble With Geniuses Gladwell

Critical Analysis Essay After reading “The Trouble with Geniuses” Part 1 and 2 in Outliers, Malcom Gladwell leaves us with some unanswered questions. In both chapters, Gladwell explains how being a genius has more to do with just one’s intellectual value. In Part 1, Gladwell tells a story about Chris Langan and how he ended up on a television quiz show. He also reviews Lewis Terman, who studied those with top IQ test scores by following them into adulthood. In Part 2, Gladwell digs into Chris Langan’s life story along with Robert Openheimer, and ultimately compares the two in terms of success. But, what Gladwell leaves behind are some questions about his purpose for writing “The Trouble with Genesis”, Part 1 and 2, who his audience is and

As well as to exemplify that in order to judge one’s success, one has to look at the world around them – their upbringing, culture, community, and personality. Gladwell persuades his readers to believe his by showing the analogy of Chris Langan and Robert Openheimer. Langan had a challenging upbringing and with that didn’t come many chances for opportunity . He also didn’t learn the proper way to win over his audience when he needed to. Openheimer, on the other hand, had a privileged upbringing where his parents gave him ample opportunities and taught him valuable life lessons in order for him to be successful. Fast forward to their later years in life, and one will see that Langan, although he possessed the same intellectual talent as Openheimer, didn’t finish college and ultimately wasn’t successful. Openheimer became famous and “headed the American effort to develop the nuclear bomb during World War II.” (Gladwell

In order to understand the content and to enjoy his readings I feel one has to either be experiencing what Gladwell is writing about, or be able to reflect back and relate to his readings. Gladwell is able to build empathy into his explanations like someone telling a story about a neighbor or friend. If a person later in life read Outliers they may have too much life experience to buy into his beliefs, and have built their success primarily on talent alone. Just as Gladwell suggests in the first chapter of Outliers, “The Matthew Effect.” Gladwell shows that “success in hockey is based on individual merit – and both of those words are important. Players are judged on their own performance” (17) Furthermore, Gladwell wrote Outliers because he felt his audience was at a point where they weren’t understanding the true meaning of becoming successful. Gladwell answers the question himself, “In the case of Outliers, the book grew out a frustration I found myself having with the way we explain the careers of really successful people.” (Gladwell, Gladwell.com) He also makes his readers feel like they relate personally with his