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  • Essay / Outliers: How to Master a Skill

    Nowadays, it is said that a person's economic background, perseverance, and innate talents determine their success in life. It is believed that the “American Dream” can only be achieved by a select few born talented or those who can afford to become talented. Those who did not grow up as happily believe that prosperity is not available to them. They grew up thinking they shouldn't train for something they weren't good at in the first place, assuming that successful people didn't have to train because they were born with natural talent and that everything was quite easy for them. The book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell challenges this belief by arguing that successful people are those who were born at the right time and given a special opportunity to master their skills. In the context of the publication – the economic crisis of 2008 – the genre and audience of Gladwell's works play an important role in making his argument effective. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Gladwell wrote an informative book aimed at an audience troubled by the recession, arguing that 10,000 hours was the limit for mastering a skill. With his statement, he mentions the people who have been given extraordinary opportunities throughout their lives, giving them the chance to practice their skills and achieve ultimate success. Gladwell writes to an audience of people affected by the recession, explaining to them that individual merit and a person's innate talent do not guarantee them success. It strives to illustrate the birth years of each of these people and how that determines the opportunities they received growing up. In a sense, the book was uplifting to those who believed they couldn't or wouldn't work. hard enough to succeed. It was proof that even if someone was incredibly talented or worked hard, they couldn't get far unless they had the opportunity to train. The book tells the stories of people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, two of the rare people born in the right place at the right time. “Rather, these are stories of people who were given a special opportunity to work very hard and took it, and who came of age at a time when that extraordinary effort was rewarded by the rest of the world. society” (Gladwell 67). The author's goal was to inform readers of something they had not previously known or realized. Gladwell often referred to the 10,000 hour rule, which he introduced at the beginning and explained throughout the text, supporting it with examples; so, while reading the book, the public began to see all the evidence proving that the 10,000 hour rule was true. In the end, they were fascinated by the evidence that led back to the rule Gladwell introduced. He took the time to gather data and interview these inspiring people, thereby providing support for his reign. In addition to the 10,000 hours required to master their skills, these tech visionaries were born on perfect timelines, contributing greatly to their path to success. . While most people wouldn't necessarily have thought that a person's date of birth was relative to their chances of success, Gladwell saw a trend in the birth years of some future billionaire software moguls and discovered a significant relevance. He developed a claim stating that these visionaries came of age when technology was evolving, therefore with an open mind, a desireto learn and the special opportunities they received, such as having unique access to a computer at a time when such technology was a rare commodity. , they achieved great things. Gladwell tells the story of the billionaires everyone aspires to, who started out like everyone else; but given their situation, they had the opportunity of a lifetime to master a skill that ended up changing the world. Although most of the evidence is based on the lives of billionaires, famous rock bands, and professional hockey players, Gladwell also writes about the opportunity he took advantage of, giving readers insight into his life and its connection to his claim. After college, Gladwell did not go to graduate school because he claimed he did not have the necessary grades, so he decided to pursue a career. With numerous rejections under his belt while seeking employment in advertising, Gladwell began to look toward journalism. He spent many hours writing for local newspapers and newspapers, accumulating 10,000 hours before he began writing for the New Yorker. He has earned respect and credibility as an author through the numerous articles and books he has written. As his articles were well known and widely read, his third book, Outliers, was equally popular. It was number one on the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for 11 consecutive weeks. It is known for its intellectual and informative text, but simplified to be easily understandable and comprehensible. Gladwell has written a book that captivates his audience and encourages them to keep reading, as if they were reading a novel. He provides many intriguing examples and facts that keep the audience engaged throughout the book. Published in November 2008, Outliers came out right at the end of the terrible recession. At that time, many people were in debt and struggling to find ways to make money. By writing this book, Gladwell attempted to give people hope that if they worked hard enough, they could achieve their goal. This was certainly an ambitious goal for many due to age and lack of opportunity, but in a sense it still encouraged people to work towards their peak performance. He explains that success can be achieved with the right opportunity and enough time ready to be dedicated to improving one's skills. Gladwell and other authors want to challenge the assumption that people are born with natural talent. Gladwell is not the only person who has written something to challenge this belief. Geoff Colvin wrote a similar article titled “Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Artists from the Rest.” His argument complements Gladwell's, stating that a person's natural talent does not make them better than anyone else. Colvin expresses dismay at the answer to the timeless question: Why are some people great at what they do? “It is still said, as Homer did, that the great performers are inspired, that is to say that their greatness was instilled in them by gods or muses. We always say that they are gifted, that is, their greatness was given to them, for reasons that no one can explain, by someone or something outside of themselves. Colvin's argument complements and extends Gladwell's when Colvin asserts that most of society has come to accept the belief that some are born with innate talent, rarely questioning the logic behind the theory. Gladwell also wants to put an end to this theory. He believes that talentNaturalness does not make a person great, but the time spent mastering this talent is what defines greatness. Gladwell and Colvin set out to challenge this belief in their books. People who read these books probably realize that the theory that being born with natural abilities should not be considered plausible. The audience likely viewed the authors' words as informative and edifying, ultimately realizing that "natural ability" does not distinguish the good from the great. With this awareness comes the desire to work for what they want to achieve. Obviously, the public today does not believe that they will become a billionaire, but with the right opportunity and practice, they could become more successful than they initially imagined. Both authors could surely inspire a younger generation to think and approach situations in an innovative way. Gladwell writes for a general audience ranging from teenagers to college-educated people, all interested in their own and others' performance, trying to challenge the belief that success depends solely on class, privilege, and talent . . When writing about Steve Jobs, Gladwell mentions that Jobs was not born into a wealthy lifestyle. It was a happy coincidence that he moved to Silicone Valley, a world-leading city for innovative technology, engineering and electronics. He frequented flea markets where electronics lobbyists sold spare parts in a neighborhood full of tech engineers. “While in high school, he boldly called Hewlett-Packard co-founder and chairman William Hewlett to ask for spare parts for a school project. Impressed by Jobs, Hewlett not only gave him the parts, but also offered him a summer internship at Hewlett-Packard” (Entrepreneur Team). There he met Steve Wozniak, and the rest is history. Even from an informational point of view, the magazine claims that Jobs was fortunate to receive more than one incredible opportunity that jump-started his career. In writing a story about Jobs' life, the editorial mentions the extraordinary opportunity Steve had seized at such a young age, complementing Gladwell's reference to this opportunity in his book as a source for developing his claim. The Gladwell and editorial argue that without the luck and series of opportunities Jobs received and took advantage of, he probably would not have been as successful. This just goes to show that even with hard work and serious dedication, most people won't become billionaires. Even then, Jobs' story will continue to inspire generations to come. This could spark a desire in many to continue improving the tech empire created by Jobs. In this job market, there is a very strong demand for inventive people. To continue revolutionizing the world, symbolic analysts must identify, solve, and negotiate new problems. The highest level of symbolic analysts includes people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Bill Joy, people who have completely revolutionized the way the world uses technology. Robert Reich developed a theory explaining why there is a greater need for symbolic analysts than workers in the labor or retail sector. “The most important reason for the expansion of this global market and the increase in global demand for Americans' symbolic and analytical ideas has been the dramatic improvement in global communications and transportation technologies. " (Reich 314) Reich asserts that there is a global demand for analysts..