| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
lilithsansracine
Advanced Member
Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 466
Location: Toronto, Canada
|
 Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:24 pm Post subject: Outliers |
 |
|
Anyone heard of Malcolm Gladwell's book about how it's more the societal environment rather than individual talent that drives people towards "success"?
Thoughts? Complaints? Epiphanies?
I haven't read it all, but firstly, I think the term "success" is quite ill-defined, as something that makes one "famous" and "somewhat wealthy".
_________________
Lilith sans Racine
INTP, RCUEI, Enneagram 7/5, sx/sp/so, Facilitator
"I accept chaos. I don't know whether it accepts me." - Arthur Rimbaud, I'm Not There |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
C.Beck
Advanced Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 2964
Location: Ontario
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
isn't that just defined for the purposes of his book? roll with iiiiit. don't make it mean anything more than he's said it does.
I haven't read it. Let me know if you recommend it when you're done. So far I disagree with his premise like a motherfucker.
_________________
I Need To Prognosticate
5-9 r|C|uaI Scorpio Facilitator
"The sun to which my eyes could not adjust"
http://cognitionexpo.21.forumer.com/index.php |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Isra
Advanced Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 1086
Location: Skagit County, WA
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:36 am Post subject: Re: Outliers |
|
|
| lilithsansracine wrote: | Anyone heard of Malcolm Gladwell's book about how it's more the societal environment rather than individual talent that drives people towards "success"?
Thoughts? Complaints? Epiphanies?
I haven't read it all, but firstly, I think the term "success" is quite ill-defined, as something that makes one "famous" and "somewhat wealthy". |
Well, if the term "success" is defined by being famous and wealthy, then indeed the desire to succeed is driven by society. Fame and wealth are comparative values, one needs other people to be doing "worse" in those regards so that they can do "better."
Of course, one doesn't need society to measure their own success in terms of fulfillment, productivity, or any other internally-defined value.
If the author is positing that the former is the only kind of success which people strive for, I would be forced to decide that he has his head up his ass.
_________________
(Fi)(Ne)ly tuned ISTP
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
-Robert Frost |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lilithsansracine
Advanced Member
Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 466
Location: Toronto, Canada
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Outliers |
|
|
| Isra wrote: | | lilithsansracine wrote: | Anyone heard of Malcolm Gladwell's book about how it's more the societal environment rather than individual talent that drives people towards "success"?
Thoughts? Complaints? Epiphanies?
I haven't read it all, but firstly, I think the term "success" is quite ill-defined, as something that makes one "famous" and "somewhat wealthy". |
Well, if the term "success" is defined by being famous and wealthy, then indeed the desire to succeed is driven by society. Fame and wealth are comparative values, one needs other people to be doing "worse" in those regards so that they can do "better."
Of course, one doesn't need society to measure their own success in terms of fulfillment, productivity, or any other internally-defined value.
If the author is positing that the former is the only kind of success which people strive for, I would be forced to decide that he has his head up his ass. |
He is a sociologist by profession, I'm not entirely sure how he has defined success, but it's the kind of pop science sort of stuff that the regular audience seems to gobble up really easily, and gives rise to major generalizations. I can't make a whole judgement as of yet, and he keeps changing subjects in the book.
_________________
Lilith sans Racine
INTP, RCUEI, Enneagram 7/5, sx/sp/so, Facilitator
"I accept chaos. I don't know whether it accepts me." - Arthur Rimbaud, I'm Not There |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
test
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
similarminds.com
Log in
Register
