Malcolm Gladwell's Argument Essay

Many people believe that fate is determined by natural ability, while others believe that one's destiny is determined by themselves. So, innate talent or preparation? Authors David Epstein and Malcolm Gladwell have opposing views on this topic. David Epstein, the author of The Sports Gene, says that natural ability is linked to success, rather than preparation and training. However, Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success, concludes that achievement is the result of preparation and not just innate talent. With many examples of evidence and reasoning, Gladwell makes a more convincing and better argument of whether one can control their destiny than Epstein does in the aspects of his argument.

In The Sports Gene, David

Gladwell first introduces three psychologists, Anders Ericsson and two colleagues, who conducted research about the successes of violinists. When violinists were questioned how much they practiced, it was clear that many practiced a lot longer than others did. Ericsson discovers that the violinists that practice the most end up best in their class (Gladwell 11). He then continues, but instead researches that successful pianists had the same pattern as the violinists in the way that when they were growing up, they practiced a lot more than amateurs. In Ericsson's research, he never came across any "naturals" who barely worked and magically made their way up to the top, also no one who practiced more than everyone and still was not in the top (Gladwell 12). With these facts, it is used in Gladwell's argument that we decide our destiny. Gladwell then includes psychologist Michael Howe, who explains that Mozart, professional composer, did not make his "masterwork" until he completed ten years of practice. This shows that Mozart's practice affected his work, and that making his practicing benefitted him more when it was at the top of his priorities (Gladwell 12). With Gladwell's strong evidence and research, he builds a higher quality argument of choices affecting our fate rather than natural