I read Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and it was not the book I expected, but it was in fact, the book I needed. I literally thought this was going to be a “from rags to riches” type tale, but Malcolm quickly showed me that wasn’t the case here. I appreciate his nuanced approach to the lives of so many people we idolize for their success and how he explains in such a logical way.
No man is an island and I’m realizing how foolish it was for me to think that in the first place. We’re all the sum of our past experiences and circumstances. You can’t outrun your culture and past. I particularly enjoyed the focus on differecnes in cultural practices that led to the differences in how pilots interacted with their first officers. That chapter was a tough one for me to read as I fly frequently and don’t want to think about the possibility that the people in the cockpit will be unable to communicate clearly with each other and allow the plane to crash. On the other hand, it waas impactful to understand how deeply embedded different social norms are within their respective cultures.
I also enjoyed the insight about becoming really good at something involves putting in time. I knew that to be true, but as life is known to do, different experiences and people made me falter in that belief. I now hold firmly to this belief and plan to keep down my path of accumulating 10,000 hours into the things I really enjoy and refining my crafts. When discussing the Beatles and Bill Gates, I was shocked to find that they put more time in than anyone else and had luck on their sides. The rags to riches tale doesn’t hold up under tough scrutiny. I can’t wait to delve into other tales of fame and fortune and uncover the true luck and specific circumstances that helped people get to their success.
At the end of the audiobook I borrowed from my library, they had an epilogue and interview with Malcolm Gladwell. It was insightful to hear his process, perspective, and the upbringing of his parents and the circumstances that led them to become who they are.
Overall, I found this to be such a quick and enjoyable read and look forward into delving into more of Macolm Gladwell’s works. Did you read Outliers? What did you think?
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