Outliers Essay Example

legacies can be altered. These anecdotes effectively bolster Gladwell's arguments, making it simpler for readers to align with his viewpoints compared to if he included unrelated concepts. Nonetheless, while Gladwell presents convincing evidence, it is crucial to acknowledge that his evidence is biased and heavily reliant on suggestion.

Gladwell does not consider alternate possibilities that contradict his arguments. An extreme illustration of this is when he assigns fault for the KAL 801 Korean air plane crash to the first officer. The blame is placed on the first officer based on his Korean ethnicity, which Gladwell describes as a culture deeply concerned with relative status. Gladwell further discusses the various forms of the Korean language and how the first officer's lower rank prevented him from questioning authority. Throughout his analysis, Gladwell does not propose any alternative explanations.

Other factors that may have contributed to the situation include the captain's inability to determine his location and the first officer's prior knowledge of the captain's difficult demeanor, leading him to avoid dealing with it. As illustrated by her example, this does not account for why other groups who practiced as much as the Beatles did not achieve the same level of success. The fact that Gladwell does not explore other possibilities for how rock bands become successful suggests a bias in his evidence. This lack of consideration for alternative ideas undermines the credibility of his arguments.

Gladwell's biased evidence is a recurring issue in his book, as all the evidence he presents relies on suggestion rather than actual outcome. Kakutani criticizes his suggested evidence as "glib, poorly reasoned and thoroughly unconvincing" in her article. Through

Marita's story, Gladwell suggests that her chances of success are higher than those who are not part of the KIPP program. However, he never confirms whether Marita actually achieved success or not; he simply implies that she did.

Gladwell provides an example of suggestion by comparing the chances of success for Alex and Katie. He suggests that Alex, who grew up in a more successful household, would be successful. However, Gladwell fails to present the necessary information to support this claim. There is a possibility that Katie became a neurosurgeon while Alex ended up being a gas station manager. The incomplete addressing of evidence by Gladwell makes it difficult to fully comprehend the essential factors for individual success. The uncertainty regarding the ultimate success or lack thereof of these individuals undermines the reliability of Gladwell's argument.

In his book, Gladwell effectively employs anecdotes and studies to support his claims. He skillfully interprets the evidence and ensures it aligns with the main point he intends to prove. This approach enhances comprehension of Gladwell's argument. However, despite his use of numerous anecdotes and studies, a drawback arises in that he simply implies the correctness of his sources without fully elaborating on the ultimate outcome. Consequently, all of Gladwell's evidence remains unconvincing as the final result is never explicitly presented.