Nature And Nurture In Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell

Nature and Nurture vs. Persistence Nature and nurture are often seen as opponents in terms of determining personality and success. Early thinkers such as Descartes and Plato would argue that our personalities are genetically predisposed, while John Locke, a highly influential 17th century philosopher, would argue that our mind is a tabula rasa, a blank slate that gets “carved” by our early childhood experiences. In the novel Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell essentially joins both opposing perspectives together and examines the different ways people attain success through arbitrary elements such as luck, childhood experiences, cultural legacies, and even birth date. The idea of success can be subjective, but overall, it is an accomplishment that

He gives the example of Canadian hockey being a meritocracy because it favors older players. Gladwell provides evidence which shows that the most successful players were born in January, February, and March. Since the cutoff age in Canadian hockey is January 1, he argues that those born closer to the beginning of the year have an advantage over the younger players born at the end of the year. However, Gladwell fails to acknowledge those who succeed through hard work and perseverance. Do Won Chang, founder of the popular fashion retail store, Forever 21, left his hometown in South Korea in search of greater opportunities in America. Working in a coffee shop and only earning three dollars an hour, Chang was unsatisfied with his current state of living. With the help of his wife, Jin Sook, Do Won Chang accumulated $11,000 to open up their first retail store in Highland Park. Today, Forever 21’s net worth is 3.2 billion dollars and the Changs have even sent their two daughters to Ivy league schools (Chung). It is evident that Do Won Chang did not have the advantages that most successful businessmen have-- rich families, connections with other businesses, or even the opportunity to go to college. Chang’s success story negates Gladwell’s original “Matthew Effect” ideal; he endured the difficulty of starting anew in a different country while living off of minimum wage, which indicates that arbitrary factors did not play a significant role in Do Won Chang’s success. Instead, his perseverance and hard work paid off in the