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What does it take to get ahead? Malcolm Gladwell, author of bestsellers The Tipping Point and Blink, comes up with some surprising answers in his latest book, Outliers: The Story of Success (Little, Brown).
In this feature interview from The Next Chapter, Gladwell talks with Shelagh Rogers about his quest to find out what’s behind extraordinary success. In Outliers he examines familiar figures such and Bill Gates and the Beatles, offering a fascinating look at the mythology of success. And while he discovers that rags to riches stories are still possible, he also reveals that no one makes it alone — and that factors an individual has little or no control over can play a crucial role.
There’s plenty more on the podcast of The Next Chapter: M. G. Vassanji drops by to chat with Shelagh about his new book A Place Within: Rediscovering India. And poet George Elliott Clarke chooses a song for U.S. President Barack Obama.
First aired Sat Jan 17, 2009 on The Next Chapter. [runs 18:56]
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Comments
Very interesting and thought provoking. I would add, however, just to the comment at the end regarding affirmative action.Many critics of "AA" are critics not because they don't believe that the project has some impact, but because the positive impacts may be outweighed by the negatives. The negatives relate to the unfairness of shifting admission order based on minority status, but also whether those who achieve because of affirmative action will know if success came from ability or favouritism based on "race", gender or whatever.
Shelby Steele wrote a very interesting essay and book on the subject "The Content of Our Character" (a phrase out of Martin Luther King's speech).
I don't know if I would agree with some of Steele's other positions, but the book and essay (originally appearing in Harper's, was brilliant.)
One might argue that Steele's critique of the cult of victimization that he criticizes is anything but the position of the new American President, although Obama was (maybe is) a supporter of affirmative action.
RC
Posted by: Robin Colllins | January 22, 2009 10:09 AM
I am a fan of M. Gladwell's newest book titled Outliers. It was so insightful, that I recently decided to read a chapter from it to a group of grade 6,7, and 8's that I teach.. I read the chapter "The Matthew Effect", thinking that this would be the most interesting and pertinent chapter to a group of “all Canadian” children.
In this chapter Gladwell speaks of the deeply skewed way in which Canadians select our hockey players, mainly, choosing those born in the early three months of the year due to their size and seemingly increased capabilities. Even with the obvious stats in front of them, my students were convinced (or more likely brain-washed), that hockey players are only chosen on their individual merit. I admit, I was attempting to conjure up a sense of injustice within them in order to have a thought provoking discussion. No such luck. Where is the radicalism, (which I’ve read about) of the 6o’s in these kids? Apathy.
Perhaps I’ll the read the chapter “Marita’s Bargain”, where Gladwell proposes that our educational system would be better off if our students attended school from 7:30am to 5pm with a shortened summer break.
AT
Posted by: Aleksandra Taylor | January 22, 2009 05:32 PM
The idea that 10 000 hours of practice has more significance than inborn talent re mastering a particular skill set, is interesting. That thought seems to link with current brain research in which individuals have been shown to have virtually uncontrollable impulses to draw, paint, compose, create. My point is that some people have strong inborn drives that are brain-based, which when coupled with the opportunity for guided practice results in high achievement. One doesn't work without the other and the motivation for 10 000 hours of practice has to come from within.
I have not yet read the book, but based on this interesting interview, plan to.
Posted by: Jennifer Durkin | February 16, 2009 01:30 PM
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