I think it is a common misconception that having a higher IQ lead to success but, the Outliers breaks the misconception by revealing that having a high IQ doesn’t guarantee a successful life. The chapter, The Trouble With Geniuses, Part 2 the author, Malcolm Gladwell, addresses an important factor of success known as, ‘practical intelligence’ (Gladwell 101). It bewildered me that Chris Langan got his scholarship taken away because, he wasn’t able to reach the deadline for his financial aid. On the other hand, Oppenheimer's was sent to a psychiatrist because, he tried poisoning his tutor. Langan and Oppenheimer might have been geniuses but, what really distinguished a successful guy like Oppenheimer who later lead the atomic bomb effort was that, Oppenheimer got others to listen to what he had to say. This revealed that having a higher IQ didn't mean you were automatically guaranteed a successful life because, it didn’t guarantee an authoritative presence.
I choose to write about this because, I’m taking a Speech course for college which I think shows how important communicating effectively with others is. Children whose parents are wealthier tend to be successful not because of racial preference but, because they are taught how to question those who are seen as authoritative figures like doctors instead of being submissive. This kind of reminds me of Donald Trump who although I believe doesn't have the highest IQ, his success really comes from how he is able to assert an authoritative presence that captivate others to pay attention to him.
I agree with you, success all comes down to communication. If you're afraid to ask questions and bring up your opinions then you're probably not going to have a chance to be successful. It can connect to the chapter about the plane crashes, because the plane's crashed because there was no communication between the captain, the first officer, and the flight engineer. If there was communication between them, this disaster could have been prevented, so like you said success all comes down to communication.
ReplyDeleteIn Trump's case, it is his authoritative presence and fourth-grade vocabulary level that captivates others into paying attention to him. That and his ability to give Americans a scapegoat when it comes to problems, blaming it all on immigrants or on Muslims mainly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, however, that success does come from communication and just how well one is willing to speak up for what they want. Some people, like Trump I should say, throw their opinions out into the air without stop and that is something that helps him despite its annoyance to some. Communication is key. At the end of the day if one does not speak up then others will not hear.