1. How does the perception of underdogs in society overlook the possible benefits and advantages of being the underdog?
There is an underdog in every situation of our lives. The person or group of people who have all odds stacked against them. Whether they are mentally, physically, or emotionally challenged, or they simply are not as good at an aspect of life as those around them, they seem to be crushed by the burdens that life brings upon them. But how are these assumptions validated without results? The truth to the matter is that a vast majority of underdogs prevail as superiors due to the ignorance of society. Not only do we emphasize their downfalls, but we underestimate the power of their assets. For example, dyslexics use communication tools other than reading and writing, and excel. Some of the world's most successful CEO's, lawyers, and leaders are dyslexic, but by focusing on their strengths and becoming the best of the best in those areas, they surpass their fellow colleagues in many ways. Another way that society misconceives the benefits of being an underdog is through the belief that underdogs cannot or should not be able to match up with the privileged. While we often times pity or root for the underdog, fully expecting failure, the truth is that many have had an upper hand from the start. Mentally, underdogs such as children who grew up without a father figure, adults who have lost children, or religious minority leaders set themselves apart because they know how to handle with and conquer adversity. Although underdogs take numerous different paths to success, the amount of success eclipses any disadvantage they may face, much to the surprise of those who expect otherwise. Society loves to focus on how tough underdogs have it and the unlikeliness for their success, but in reality, underdogs have potential to thrive and even surpass those who once looked down on them.
2. Why does society react with such haste before even attempting to accept change/opposition?
As Gladwell depicts throughout the book, society has thrown fits and continues to throw fits over drastic changes, even though many of these changes have led to some of the greatest advancements the world has ever seen. One of these advancements came in the form of childhood leukemia and chemotherapy, which are two extremely important aspects of life today. When Jay Friereich decided to pound medicine through the shinbones of infant children or give repeated drug cocktails to those with invasive forms of cancer, the public as well as his own co-workers and friends went crazy. His credibility, knowledge, and morality were all questioned. He went on to develop and publish treatments that are still extremely effective today. Childhood leukemia, almost certainly meaning death before his studies, now experiences a greater than 90% cure rate. Chemotherapy remains a go-to option for a majority of cancer patients. Similar to Freireich, Wyatt Walker and Martin Luther King Jr. wanted radical change. Their efforts to ultimately win equality for those of all colors and race produced a deadly firestorm throughout the south for years. Persistent and calculated, these leaders constructed one of the most successful movements in American history. Looking back, all three of these men changed millions of lives then and now. But initially, society jumped all over them, disregarding the fact that they may have something great. Haste and stubbornness diminished the incredible potential of their efforts. Today, hasty behavior dominates politics and everyday life, yet incredible discoveries and ideas continue to advance our society to new levels. History has and continue to repeat itself, for the good and for the worse.
3. Stories of successful underdogs frequently inspire us to strive towards the same success, but why are we afraid of situations that make us the underdog?
A behavior that nearly all of us are guilty of, choosing the easy path over the harder yet possibly more rewarding continues to occur more frequently. And the path most taken does not always have to be easier but more enticing, too. During times that require the most thought and intelligent decision-making skills, we usually fail to think of the long term and focus simply on the short term benefits. Gladwell illustrates this behavior through a young woman making her college decision. After falling in love with Brown University, an Ivy League school, and getting accepted, she envisioned an illustrious career in science filled with success. Her education would be among the greatest in the world, and she would meet so many people just like her that Brown would have been the best four years of her life. It did not take long for her future visions to crumble. She failed to keep up with not only the classwork but the social and self-confidence aspects of college, too. This decision, one of the most important in a young adult's life, often leads students to places where they are incapable of thriving in. These seemingly easy and smart choices that people make throughout their lives frequently lead to more trouble than the thoroughly thought out, difficult decisions that might place us in an underdog position. Starting at the bottom and working towards the top is one of the most difficult things to accept and succeed from, but that's exactly what underdogs do. We are inspired by their
There is an underdog in every situation of our lives. The person or group of people who have all odds stacked against them. Whether they are mentally, physically, or emotionally challenged, or they simply are not as good at an aspect of life as those around them, they seem to be crushed by the burdens that life brings upon them. But how are these assumptions validated without results? The truth to the matter is that a vast majority of underdogs prevail as superiors due to the ignorance of society. Not only do we emphasize their downfalls, but we underestimate the power of their assets. For example, dyslexics use communication tools other than reading and writing, and excel. Some of the world's most successful CEO's, lawyers, and leaders are dyslexic, but by focusing on their strengths and becoming the best of the best in those areas, they surpass their fellow colleagues in many ways. Another way that society misconceives the benefits of being an underdog is through the belief that underdogs cannot or should not be able to match up with the privileged. While we often times pity or root for the underdog, fully expecting failure, the truth is that many have had an upper hand from the start. Mentally, underdogs such as children who grew up without a father figure, adults who have lost children, or religious minority leaders set themselves apart because they know how to handle with and conquer adversity. Although underdogs take numerous different paths to success, the amount of success eclipses any disadvantage they may face, much to the surprise of those who expect otherwise. Society loves to focus on how tough underdogs have it and the unlikeliness for their success, but in reality, underdogs have potential to thrive and even surpass those who once looked down on them.
2. Why does society react with such haste before even attempting to accept change/opposition?
As Gladwell depicts throughout the book, society has thrown fits and continues to throw fits over drastic changes, even though many of these changes have led to some of the greatest advancements the world has ever seen. One of these advancements came in the form of childhood leukemia and chemotherapy, which are two extremely important aspects of life today. When Jay Friereich decided to pound medicine through the shinbones of infant children or give repeated drug cocktails to those with invasive forms of cancer, the public as well as his own co-workers and friends went crazy. His credibility, knowledge, and morality were all questioned. He went on to develop and publish treatments that are still extremely effective today. Childhood leukemia, almost certainly meaning death before his studies, now experiences a greater than 90% cure rate. Chemotherapy remains a go-to option for a majority of cancer patients. Similar to Freireich, Wyatt Walker and Martin Luther King Jr. wanted radical change. Their efforts to ultimately win equality for those of all colors and race produced a deadly firestorm throughout the south for years. Persistent and calculated, these leaders constructed one of the most successful movements in American history. Looking back, all three of these men changed millions of lives then and now. But initially, society jumped all over them, disregarding the fact that they may have something great. Haste and stubbornness diminished the incredible potential of their efforts. Today, hasty behavior dominates politics and everyday life, yet incredible discoveries and ideas continue to advance our society to new levels. History has and continue to repeat itself, for the good and for the worse.
3. Stories of successful underdogs frequently inspire us to strive towards the same success, but why are we afraid of situations that make us the underdog?
A behavior that nearly all of us are guilty of, choosing the easy path over the harder yet possibly more rewarding continues to occur more frequently. And the path most taken does not always have to be easier but more enticing, too. During times that require the most thought and intelligent decision-making skills, we usually fail to think of the long term and focus simply on the short term benefits. Gladwell illustrates this behavior through a young woman making her college decision. After falling in love with Brown University, an Ivy League school, and getting accepted, she envisioned an illustrious career in science filled with success. Her education would be among the greatest in the world, and she would meet so many people just like her that Brown would have been the best four years of her life. It did not take long for her future visions to crumble. She failed to keep up with not only the classwork but the social and self-confidence aspects of college, too. This decision, one of the most important in a young adult's life, often leads students to places where they are incapable of thriving in. These seemingly easy and smart choices that people make throughout their lives frequently lead to more trouble than the thoroughly thought out, difficult decisions that might place us in an underdog position. Starting at the bottom and working towards the top is one of the most difficult things to accept and succeed from, but that's exactly what underdogs do. We are inspired by their