"People don't rise from nothing," he writes. "They are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot ... It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn't."
Possible Discussion Points:
- Do you agree with Gladwell? Why/Why not? Use examples.
- Is Gladwell's argument good for people to hear, or is it dangerous? Explain.
- How does Gladwell's argument make you feel?
- Is Gladwell saying "Effort doesn't matter?" Does that seem correct?
- Do you know people who are successful simply because of effort?
RESPOND TO ONE OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS BY ADDING A COMMENT BELOW.
YOU MAY ALSO RESPOND TO OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS
Though Gladwell makes some interesting observations, I'd have to disagree because i personally know success and be earned through hard work. In a strange sense his argument revolves around "Fate" in the sense that something is out of your control, and if you choose to believe in that fine but I don't. So that's what i think of that.
ReplyDeleteI also disagree with Gladwell because you can achieve anything as long as you work hard for it. Achievements could be philisophical and materialistic.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Gladwell's points. People actually do rise from something. Effort really does matter especially when it comes to sports. If you want to be a very good basketball player, you have to work very hard at it. No one is born an expert.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of affirmative action. The employment should hire the person who is best for the job and really work well at it. Race, ethnicity, and color should not matter.
If you want to do pass a class, you have to put a lot of effort into work, participation, and dedication to it. Someone telling you that you will do very good does not guarantee that you will pass. Other people cannot speak for you.
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ReplyDeleteI do agree with Hugo that you have to workhard for success, success doesn't just come to you on a plater. you have to work hard for what you want. when you achieve your golds, then that wheb you earn your success
ReplyDeleteMalcolm Gladwell makes me angry. I do not agree with anything that this man is saying. This may be some of the success stories for some but not everyone. Most people become successful because they work hard and do what they have to to achieve their goals. Where you grew up at or who your parents are can not determine how your future will play out, you are the only one who can control that.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with gladwell, success does come from hard work.. and its not limited. success comes from all parts of you and whats around you.. it depends on the situation. what you feel is success is how you feel success it. It's extremely dangerous because it makes people question everything about them and question themselves and what they love and who they are and what they want to do and be.. and so much more that makes it complex. Gladwell does say that effort doesn't matter, and that's completely wrong. sitting on your ass all day and relying on other people will not make you successful, it will make you and other people around you feel worthless and sometimes people need to feel like they're worth something to feel successful. Yes i know people who are succesfull because of effort, my cousins are.. they worked their asses off in order to become in the positions where they are now, same with my mother, she works her ass off to keep us all happy and healthy as well as safe. It all depends on what you feel successful and success means.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm Gladwell, psst who is he? I highly disagree with his idea of success. He sounds like a stereotypical person saying that it matters where you from. I believe that people become successful depending on how hard they work towards their goal. For example if someone wants to become president, they can be from wherever just as long as they go to good in school and become a politic. Anyone can do this just as long as they stick to it and if they really want to pursue this then they will face the obstacles that follow it. And doing so they will become successful. If Gladwell got a problem then he can come fight me 1 on. WHAT UP!?
ReplyDelete"Though Gladwell makes some interesting observations, I'd have to disagree because i personally know success and be earned through hard work." I also agree with Hugo because Its not about effort is about sacrificing and hard work, because those are the people who most succeed in life.Even thought some people are born to succeed because they are born with wealth because I think that for some people success means having money and being wealthy.
ReplyDeletei dont agree with any of this because you can not dictate what people are capable of ok so they may be late bloomers in life but what is it that is going to let you know who or what someone is going to do or be. Malcolm gladwel may have noticed something but that is because he was just looking at what people are doing he didn't notice that with the hockey the kids the coaches were choosing were only made to believe that they are better because they are a bit bigger than what is that saying to people plan to get pregnant around the spring so that you'll have a child in the beginning months of the winter so that you'll have exceptional kids no it shouldnt have that dictated
ReplyDeleteI disagree with gladwell a little because being successful can also mean doing hard work.If you have a goal to be something in life and you set out to do it or get it in the end you have accomplished a task that was very fulfilling which to me is being successful. For example going to college and getting the job you worked hard for after finishing college.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't agree with Gladwell. His argument is dangerous for people to hear because it lulls people into a state of predestined acceptance, leaving no room for the struggle and effort that come hand in hand with success. In trend with the lazy nature of people, i think that if people get the idea in their heads that no work is necessary, no one will work.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm Gladwell does have some interesting point, from what he consider success, though I believe being successful is all about having luck. I do agree on what my fellow classmates say about working hard. But, then I've come across with a lot of people who has worked hard for nothing. Where there's other who barely do anything and become successful just by, for example winning the Lotto, or by not even trying. In the end, to me being successful is when someone actually becomes what they want.
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with this guy named Malcolm Gladwell, his theory doesn't make me feel so "glad" lol (note: may not be funny 2 u...but i don't care). Anyway his theory makes people feel that if their not born at a certain month or born a certain year your basically screwed. Meanwhile this is ruining my confidence :(
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with Malcom Gladwell since you can be successful through determination. Goals can be accomplished if you set out to acheive them. Saying that you are immediately unsuccessful because of the place you were born in is an ignorant stigma. If you want something terribly you would find your resources and set out to be successful. Being successful has alot of meanings, whether its getting money or just having the right people in your life that makes you satisfied.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some of Gladwell's Outliers he gave a very important and interesting point on success and how for example hockey players have more successful than others because it depends on what month their birthday lands on. I don't agree with this point because I feel that a person, no matter their birthday is successful with their skills and talent. I do think that some are more lucky than others as in having advantages as in being born with money or with very influential connections that push them to success.But from that point on it all depends on what the person does to show their skills to succeed even more if possible.
ReplyDeleteI kinda agree with him but then again I don't. I think there are some natural factors in life that make it a lot more difficult to be successful like where you were born. If you were born in poverty it is more likely that you will struggle more and might not even be a successful person. But I don't think that when you were born has anything to do with your determination to be successful. It's based on the personal motivation to become something, to be a successful person. Some factors make it difficult but you have to work for your success. For most people, it's not just handed to you. I don't like the fact that he gives no regard to the people who have worked hard to become successful people.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm Gladwell suggests that "things out of our control, such as when we are born, are often more responsible for whether or not we are successful in life." I'm not going to say he's wrong or what he says is stupid because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and besides he said OFTEN not ALWAYS. But I don't agree with him, I think success is the outcome of the time, effort and hard-work you put in, not on the period of time you were born.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of what he says but the things that are out of our control are only really our advantages we have. people would to work hard and use those things that are out of our control as "ammo" to achieve their goals.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with him because i think no matter what is stopping you from achieving what you want just makes you want it more. if you really want something you should go for it no matter what, just because something is stopping you doesnt mean it is going to make you lose interest and desire for you. the truth of the matter is there will always be things in the world that will TRY to stop you but that shouldnt make you back down. i think being successful means self-determination and having a drive to help you get through and make you aim higher.
ReplyDeleteGladwell's idea isn't right to me. I believe that a person who works hard towards their goals and get what they want is a successful person. A person who is born in a certain month dosent make them a successful person for example the hockey players, he said if they are born in the winter they are most successful. A person gains skills and works towards what they want and need. Its also just not luck. Luck only comes once around. And anything is possible. Everyone can be successful therefore I disagree.
ReplyDeletei agree, many people today have history of richest which can cause one to have full advanage for any open oppertunity and dont have to have the skills for the job for example celebrates that have children, as they grow they will be offered alot basic on their status 'rich' people are hungry for money and they'll use them to get to it which those so called 'children stars' will fall for it and will stay famous but not because of what they do, its because of what their parents did and have now. Over all no one starts from nothing but sadly most people think it and end up as nothing which means they lack motivation. and Malcolm's arguement is whatever, people argue everyday about everything no matter how small, because individuals try to fight for their opinion and its human nature. His arguement doesnt make me feel any different over all it was his opinion just that alot of people argue it because it sort of a 'sensitive' topic basic on abilities in ones self and so Malcolm believes that since you were born into nothing you wont make anything of yourself, however thats only if you choice to be effort sometimes matter however your not always going to get what you want in life, so why continue fighting for something that is not going to happen? i believe there is a reason for everything, just because you dont get one thing doesnt mean you can go for something that is easier to reach.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with this guy because i do believe the fact that you are successful because of what you do in life and the choices you take. it doesn't matter where you come from or what your last name might be if you truly work hard then you will succeed in life.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if i agree with Gladwell but, he does have some good evidence to prove his point about success being relative to maturity and ability. I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!
ReplyDeleteWorking hard doesnt alwasy bring success to you. people can work hard for their whole lives and still not become successful. i only have accounts of that from people i know.i dont think it matters where you come from but i do think that it has a huge difference on someones success rate. iight 5 star G Bloods?
ReplyDeleteI some what agree with Gladwell's idea on success. Some people are given more opportunities than others. There are different types of success that people have, like education, and family; but most people would base success on socity's view of riches and fame. Gladwells point is to show that celebrities success is based off a choice that someone giving you a chance to work hard and show that you are willing to go that extra mile to be top ranked. me personaly success depends on how hard you work, your effort, and if your happy to do what you do, also getting help from others.
ReplyDeleteUmm im kinda iffy about this to be honest. i do believe that people surrondings might lead to what they may become come in the future, but i also believe that this is not always the case.Some people know what they want in life and understand what it takes to be this and to gain this and change enivorments in order succeed in life. i think that this might be dangerous to be people will a lack of confidence in themselves or someone who who might not believe in changing the road or path other people might have already planned for them.What he says might also be a great thing for people to say who live in an enviorment in which they want to be in. or a place where what they wanna be or will feel successful in , is the right place to be at in that moment. However,what he said honeslty doesnt affect me. I have seen people do things that people would have no except of them and i will be one of those people. people are born with a stereotype of a road that they "should" be on but it is your choice and your decison on whether or not you want to change that. Effort does matter! please dont listen to this guy ! really though been this guy is a DUBB!
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Gladwell.I think that people do rise from nothing because in order to get something you have to have nothing. You have a choice to do what you want, if you choose to be successful then you may become successful. But I do agree that there are somethings that you can't control things. It's hard to control what you want to do when you can't control anything that is around you.Success doesn't depend on your last name or the place you came from. Success depends on how much you can control your life in order to get the things that you want.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Gladwell because as many other people above said success comes from hard work.If people wouldn't work hard they wouldn't get what they wanted. For example if i didn't work hard enough i wouldn't have made it to my senior year.
ReplyDelete(also i agree with booth)(happy i agreed with you booth)
I think Gladwell is correct. His theory that ppl dont just rise up out from the ground is agreeable. Opportunitis must be available to take. So I agree, it depends on when the person is born and where. It totally depends on the persons background. Growing up, your environment is out of your control until you're old enough to move on.
ReplyDeletedude basically if you work hard at what you want you will be successful at what u want. just dont leave your family and dont only cherish the things you want because remember there are others out there that need help
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ReplyDeleteThe points that Malcolm Gladwell were very interesting because success does seem to come from many different things but that doesnt mean it cant come from your personal work ethic. Sometimes it could be luck, oppurtunities, talent, race, or education. You can see the patterns in some of the things Gladwell pointed out like the hockey but success isnt just a one way road. It has many definitions and forms for each person. I think success is somehting that is personal that develops by society's customs. For example, a man wants to lose weight for the summer season and be able to have a muscular body for the beach. Society made the idea that people that have a good body on the beach are successful in health and just their well being. So from that custom, the man makes his goal to lose weight and go for the look that he wants. It more of a cause and effect type of thing. It can't be just one or the other. I think that Gladwell is very smart and provocative for saying that success is only based on a force in which we can't control. Sort of like, luck or fate, but there are many people that dont believe in those things.
ReplyDeleteI dont fully agree with Malcolm Gladwell because I think that people are able to be successful with hard work; I believe people have different ways of viewing success. I do, in the other hand, agree that success also has to do with an amount of extraordinary opportunities that people may have. (Jeannine)
ReplyDeleteI think Gladwell is partially correct. I think factors such as race plays a role in your success especially because we live in a society where its one race dominated. But things such as birth dates and other things aren't a factor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gladwell to a certain extent. Growing up everyone tells us we can be anything we want if we work hard which is all words to just keep us with hope. If people were to say the truth about everything many people will not work as hard because they know they can not achieve it. Which is why people fill young minds with thoughts of achievements. Becoming successful does involve many other factors besides hard work. Everyone's story is different in life and many people have disadvantages and advantages depending where they come from, what they do and many other things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gladwell because success is not always about the result of hard work. One can work hard at being successful and whether are not their hard work did not pay off, they still feel successful for trying.
ReplyDeleteTo me, every individual is here for a purpose. It can either good or bad. Whether they are here to bring happiness and joy to others or inflict pain onto others, everyone is a necessary contribution to what makes this planet the way it is. You may not agree of the person's ways but I agree with Gladwell that we do have hidden talents and things about us we don't know at first but as life goes on you discover things you are good at. Since everyone is an indiviual, they view the world differently. It everyone believed the same thing, no one would try hard to prove something or stand for something. We grow learning and watching people act in different ways. I definetly disagree with the ending when he says that where you are from determines your success. That is a no no. Everyone, I think is capable of doing something extraordinary. This part of Gladwell's speech can easily put someone down. It is easy to feel like a failure. It is hard for someone to feel important. Especially when you have Gladwell who is "successful" telling them basically if you are born in a horrible neighborhood that you can not amount to something. There will be many people who get their confidence by trying to prove someone wrong but then also some may just feel low.. Gladwell is saying effort doesn't matter. It is more of a luck thing to him. You have to be born in the "right" place. Gladwell needs to know its not about a bad past, it is about a bright future. I know a lot of people who are successful by effort. They work to provide for themselves and their families. If they are comfortable usually they are happy with themselves.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Gladwell, i don;t think that success come from being born early or anything like that. how can you tell some body that there not going to be successful just because they were born late like if that was our felt or something. he maybe saying this about sports but what happens with every other job thats out there.
ReplyDeletei believe that success come from the hard work that you have to go through. If you don't work hard then you won';t get anywhere in life, and if you do work hard then its going to pay off in the furture.