An outlier is an individual with excessive ability that reaches high above the average of society and the common person’s achievements. Malcolm Gladwell, a national best-selling author, explains in the novel “Outliers” a deeper reasoning as to why some people reach high and above others in activity or intelligence. Gladwell proves his theory with the use of logos by supporting his points with facts and statistics. The author is unbiased in his approach to do so, and he strictly attempts to give opposition to the idea of luck. Additionally, he writes the story to teach, delight, and enlighten his audience by taking a deeper step into the reasoning to success. Gladwell’s intended audience is people interested in the topic of why average people become so successful or Outliers themselves. Outliers are not a result of pure luck, rather there are multiple underlying reasons that give great explanation as to why some exceed so well in society. Gladwell effectively convinces his audience with the use of statistics and cultural information, that success is more than hard work or one’s extreme luck.
Malcolm Gladwell effectively arranges his novel with the use of organized studies and logos. The author additionally creates the novel by using description and gives written representation along with background stories of the Outliers. By stating liable information about the Outliers, Gladwell effectively shows that there is more hidden reasoning to success in society. The author avoids having many weaknesses or flaws and strongly provides a great deal of evidence that is factual. He uses charts, and describes how being born in specific time periods could determine one’s future. The only weakness is that there may be more underlying causes to t...
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...he world around us is constantly changing and great opportunities are rare. Gladwell elaborates on this idea and other theories involving cultural background and family economic status. Additionally, the author successfully makes nearly perfect correlations and expresses his knowledgeable ideas to the audience. The piece truly affects the audience and it creates a sense of motivation by showing that one doesn’t have to be born special to be successful. The novel may also show a person what activity or occupation they could thrive in because of their cultural background and ancestry. The theories expressed such as timing and culture will always be important and will have a strong impact on one’s path to success. Future relevance will strongly result from Gladwell’s ideas because humans every day are constantly striving to reach the highest levels of success possible.
Throughout the book, Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell focuses on using the rhetorical technique of pathos to aid his readers in understanding the formula for success. In one particular part of the book, Gladwell uses experiences and human problems as examples to support his idea that plane crashes and ethnicty are related and the greater idea that success is based on opportunity.
Malcolm Gladwell, in the nonfiction book Outliers, claims that success stems from where you come from, and to find that you must look beyond the individual. Malcolm Gladwell develops and supports his claim by defining an outlier, then providing an example of how Stewart Wolf looked beyond the individual, and finally by giving the purpose of the book Outliers as a whole. Gladwell’s purpose is to explain the extenuating circumstances that allowed one group of people to become outliers in order to inform readers on how to be successful. The author writes in a serious and factual tone for the average person in society of both genders and all ethnicities who wants to become successful in life.
In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell argues that there is no such thing as a self-made man, and that success is only the result of a person’s circumstances. However, throughout the novel Gladwell points out that your circumstances and opportunities only help you become successful if you are willing to take advantage of them and work hard. From a twelve year old living in the Bronx, to those who were born at just the right time to become millionaires, one thing is the same throughout; these people because successful because they seized the opportunities they were given. The advantages and opportunities that came from their circumstances would not be important if they had not grasped them. Every successful man is self made, because he has seized the
Malcolm Gladwell demonstrates use of figurative language including repition and exemplum, along with ethos and pathos current in the 10,000 hour rule; however, his credibility of his sources and knowledge is not present. He makes use of successful people who have impacted the world in analyzing their previous lives and how they had obtained 10,000 hours of practice. Outliers affects the audience to make them feel more knowledgable and aware of the characteristics of success, inlcuding a more relatable and understanding concept established by figurative language. Gladwell provides an ambition, or goal, for young people to achieve success in future generations. Outliers is a very inspiring novel that maintains many aspects of practice through the 10,000 hour rule, and will transform how society views success in many other generations.
As stated before Malcolm Gladwell presents a calm tone that doesn’t seem to push his argument but at the same time his argument is semi-flawed. He proves that there can be trends and patterns that can be correlated to success. He successfully showed this by stating the success stories of Bill Gates, the beatles and the soon to be successful Choir. Even though here and there he makes a couple of assumptions like the children in the academy his thesis is solid. (where? make an example) Malcolm Gladwell makes a lasting effect on how you view life, if patterns can be shown in overall success what else can their be patterns to. This piece really makes you think hard about things you might never have considered before and just accepted.
As a result, Malcolm Gladwell used it as a starting point of his book “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.” Gladwell’s book tells the story of people, whom as David, overcome difficult situations, Goliath, and become successful, even though all the odds were against them. Therefore, Chapter 2 of Gladwell’s book studies the effects of smaller and bigger classes in countries all around the world,
As Malcolm Gladwell would explain, opportunity is the keystone to success. Despite how intellectual, outgoing, or hard working one is, there is a threshold to talent, and the volume of future possibilities matter much more. As noteworthy Indian economist Amartya Sen states, “Poverty is not just lack of money; it is not having the capability to realize one’s full potential as a human being.” Success is based on opportunity and the communal factors of parents and teachers that influence a young adult. To truly succeed, an individual’s efforts go beyond academia and depends on opportunities. Success goes “...beyond the individual...They had to appreciate the idea that the values of the world we inhabit and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are” (10). Although rising out of poverty is a difficult task, being “buried in that setback [can be] a golden opportunity”
Gladwell’s style of writing begins with explaining or presenting an example of someone with success in a field. He then quickly refutes the reader’...
Members of racial minority groups like the majority aspire to possess material success in life but are void of the means to achieve those (McNulty & Bellair, 2003). The same can be said of the lower class, whose low socio-economic status limit their opportunities for tertiary education which could potentially be imperative in securing lucrative jobs (Curry & Spergel, 1988). Therefore, to satisfy their appetite for success, these people adapt to strain by treading the path of innovators- using illegitimate means to actualise their positively valued goals. Moreover, with global... ... middle of paper ... ...
Malcolm Gladwell’s overall purpose of Outliers: The Story of Success is that success is largely determined by an individual’s socioeconomic and sociocultural environment, and individual ambition, effort, or talent, are less significant, contrary to the societal notions associated with success. In other words, success is not something that someone randomly gained; success is earned through opportunities that develop dedication, interest, and skill over time. By doing this, will one become an outlier, or “something that is situated away or classed differently from a main or related body,” (Gladwell 3) that distinguishes great from good and best from great, as exemplified by “The striking thing about Ericsson’s study is that the and his colleagues couldn’t find any “naturals”, musicians who floated effortlessly to the top while practicing a fraction of the time their peers did.” (Gladwell 39) Gladwell also acknowledges societal norms such that “All of the fourteen men and woman on the list above had vision and talent,” (Gladwell 62-63) to assert hard work, ability, et cetera can lead to success, but a social environment that offers such opportunities immensely increases the likelihood of success.
Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers is an extremely informative read about success and the different aspects that attribute to it. Gladwell is able to use many studies and sources that back up his theories of how success is achieved. Although he is biased towards his theories, the only real argument that can be made in opposition to his theories would be a debate over exceptions to the 10,000 Hour Rule. Outliers ultimately has a positive effect on the audience by making them more aware of their own chances at success and how if they may be lacking in one area (education, opportunity, creativity) all hope is not lost. Gladwell’s piece is essentially timeless and will be able to be applied to future generations because he used examples from a few different eras that still make sense to today.
To give my personal philosophy of success I would first have to define “success”. Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. My success philosophy that I plan on implementing from now on is accepting personal responsibility for the good and bad choices I make. There will be time when I need to focus on school and worry less about my free time. If I have a test to take I have to study for that test to get a good grade and continuous good grades will help me pass the course. I can’t depend on anyone else to do my work for me I’m personally responsible for completing my assignments and turning them in on time. When the weekend comes around and all I do is procrastinate by telling myself I’ll study later. The smart thing to do about this situation would be to think wise and use my time-management strategies. I’ll always have time for myself, so sacrificing some free time now is well worth it. This helps me to be a creator and not the victim about things and keeping up with the self-management strategy. The success strategies that I will use will help my learning style, self-management and self-responsibility. Most people believe success is just having lots of money, cars, and women but I believe success is an individual sport and I have to be ready to play because the outcome of my performance is based on the work I put into it.
Other than how this book personally encouraged me and discouraged me, it was eye opening to see such a coincidence of birthdates among all-star hockey players and how Bill Gates just happened to be born in the wake of computer technology. It is also very shocking to see the racial demographics behind plane crashes and the relationship between math, rice, and Asian people. I am glad that I was able to read this book because despite the limits it places on success, it provides a better understanding of the possible reasons why some people become outliers while other remain average.
If people work hard, focus, and are disciplined, they will succeed in the future. This has become a universal idea taught by parents, teachers, and peers. People have passed down this idea to the younger generations and they chose to live by this moral that makes sense. In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell debunks the universal idea that working hard will allow people to play hard and get further in life. Gladwell eliminates the traditional ideas of success by showing that opportunities, family background, and being born at the “right” time are actually what lead to success.
There are several qualities to have to be successful in college. These qualities can range from attending class to going above and beyond what’s expected. Success comes from the journey taken or the path chosen. Success also comes from being prepared. As a student, I must step up to the challenge and find the path to success along the way. Several ways I define success is to uphold academic integrity, have the ability to prioritize, and to motivate myself to stay on top of what needs to be accomplished.