Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

 Malcolm despises the phrase 'self-made', he argues that all the successful people we see today like Bill Gates and Bill Joy are as a result of a web of advantages that includes patronage & cultural legacies. These advantages allow them to make sense of the world in a way others can not. The tallest trees are not the tallest because the seed was healthier than others, it's the tallest because of the soil around it that was nutritious and no other plants were blocking its view of sunlight. Malcolm concludes that talent is something that can be developed rather than inborn. He mentions the '10 000 hour rule' which is a theory that assumes that it takes roughly 10 000 hours to develop a mastery of something. He gives an example of the Beatles and Mozart who started as just average individuals but perfected their traits over time. I loved when Gladwell mentions that you don't need to be a genius to be exceptional. Most geniuses pass the cognitive test but tend to fail divergence which is a test of the imaginative part of the mind. It is the dreamers who change the world not the thinkers.

Individuals like Joe Flom are great examples of how factors like religion, parentage, and the year you were born matters to who you can become. What is considered a disadvantage now can turn out to be the reason one can become an outlier. In the 'Harlan Kentucky' chapter Gladwell stresses out how our culture and where we are from can actually influence our behavior and decision making. He mentions that being a great pilot can be influenced by absurd factors such as the country you come from. Pilots from countries with a high Power Distance Index (PDI) tend to fear authority and hence cannot convey important instructions with effectiveness. For example, they give hints instead of commands. "Who we are cannot be separated from where we're from—and when we ignore that fact, planes crash". Malcolm sheds light on why  Asians tend to be better at Maths than everyone else. He says much credit is to be given to their cultural heritage of rice farming which instilled a culture of endurance as well as utilizing small resources. The Chinese number line is much easier and makes sense hence Asian children are more motivated to continue studying. Math is not a talent it is an attitude that can be developed.

This is a great book that I would definitely recommend to anyone. Malcolm also wrote The tipping point and Blink which are also great reads that I recommend.