The second half of "Outliers" reaches beyond the immediate conditions and circumstances of the individual to their roots, surpassing their own lifetime and going back generations before them. Chapter six focuses on introducing the idea of "culture of honor" (Gladwell, 2008, Pg. 167). "It's a world where a man's reputation is at the centre of his livelihood and self-worth" (Pg. 167). The origins of a type of people establish certain characteristics due to the conditions of their habitat that forces them to live a certain lifestyle in order to survive. What it comes down to is behavior that would benefit "personal" gain, that appear to be "racial and ethnic stereotypes" (Pg. 169). Despite what we believe and how negative this type of thinking is, there is some truth to it that can not be avoided. Research conducted by psychologists Dov Cohen and Richard Nisbett discovered that even men in early 1990's who were not raised in similar circumstances as their ancestors, nor were they even part of the bloodline of the ancestors of the area they grew up in; they were university students raised in modern cosmopolitan conditions, exhibited similar behavior pre-known and pre-established to its location (Pg. 174). To sum it up, the chapter ends with how, "[Cultural legacies] persist, generation after generation, virtually intact, even as the economic and social and demographic conditions that spawned them have vanished, and they play such a role in directing attitudes and behaviour that we cannot make sense of our world without them" (Pg. 175).
Personally, I can understand this statement even within the boundaries of a city. I'm Vietnamese born in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and even so I have accumulated certain characteristics of the area I grew up in. I once had a mentor who was able to pin point which area of Vancouver each person was from simply by their "accent." I didn't even realize I had an accent (that wasn't because I was Vietnamese). Amongst my colleagues we can even "stereotype" truth to the various types of students in different areas of the city. We have all experienced the difference between teaching on the East Side versus the West Side, the "poorer" versus the "wealthier." I grew up on the East Side, whereas my husband grew up on the West Side. The difference in location has taught us different views of life and different challenges that have created us to encompass the already established culture of the area we grew up in.
In Chapter seven, Gladwell, continues to explain how legacy is defined by our Ethnic background. He uses the examples of airline companies and how "mitigated speech" plays a role in how we communicate with one another. This refers to "any attempt to downplay or sugarcoat the meaning of what is being said. We mitigate when we're being polite, or when we're ashamed or embarrassed, or when we're bing deferential to authority" (Pg. 194). To further explain the relationship of migrated speech with ethnicity, Gladwell introduces "Hofstede's Dimensions" which aide in analyzing cross-cultural psychology (Pg. 202). This includes "individualism-collectivism scale," which different cultures can be measured by "how much they expect individuals to look after themselves," United States being at the highest end of the scale (Pg. 203). Another scale used to measure culture is the "uncertainty avoidance. How well does a culture tolerate ambiguity?" (Pg. 203). Finally, what Gladwell wants to focus on is the scale of "Power Distance Index (PDI)." "Power distance is concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy, specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority" (Pg. 204-205), United States being at the low end of this scale. Essentially, where you are on the PDI will affect your use of mitigated speech, and according to Aviation experts the battle against mitigation "accounts for the extraordinary decline in airline accidents in recent years" (Pg. 197). As a result, we can understand relationship types within each culture can affect an individuals' actions, which we need to realize does not determine their actual intentions.
Personally, I can understand this statement even within the boundaries of a city. I'm Vietnamese born in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and even so I have accumulated certain characteristics of the area I grew up in. I once had a mentor who was able to pin point which area of Vancouver each person was from simply by their "accent." I didn't even realize I had an accent (that wasn't because I was Vietnamese). Amongst my colleagues we can even "stereotype" truth to the various types of students in different areas of the city. We have all experienced the difference between teaching on the East Side versus the West Side, the "poorer" versus the "wealthier." I grew up on the East Side, whereas my husband grew up on the West Side. The difference in location has taught us different views of life and different challenges that have created us to encompass the already established culture of the area we grew up in.
In Chapter seven, Gladwell, continues to explain how legacy is defined by our Ethnic background. He uses the examples of airline companies and how "mitigated speech" plays a role in how we communicate with one another. This refers to "any attempt to downplay or sugarcoat the meaning of what is being said. We mitigate when we're being polite, or when we're ashamed or embarrassed, or when we're bing deferential to authority" (Pg. 194). To further explain the relationship of migrated speech with ethnicity, Gladwell introduces "Hofstede's Dimensions" which aide in analyzing cross-cultural psychology (Pg. 202). This includes "individualism-collectivism scale," which different cultures can be measured by "how much they expect individuals to look after themselves," United States being at the highest end of the scale (Pg. 203). Another scale used to measure culture is the "uncertainty avoidance. How well does a culture tolerate ambiguity?" (Pg. 203). Finally, what Gladwell wants to focus on is the scale of "Power Distance Index (PDI)." "Power distance is concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy, specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority" (Pg. 204-205), United States being at the low end of this scale. Essentially, where you are on the PDI will affect your use of mitigated speech, and according to Aviation experts the battle against mitigation "accounts for the extraordinary decline in airline accidents in recent years" (Pg. 197). As a result, we can understand relationship types within each culture can affect an individuals' actions, which we need to realize does not determine their actual intentions.
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This CNN broadcast of a Korean air crash in San Francisco, CA. with an interview with Malcolm Gladwell and this part of his book.
Reference: "Could Korean culture have affected plane crash?" (2013, July 10). CNN. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk51T8X2lXA |
As educators who are faced with huge diversities, and encounter students of varying cultures, we need to really focus on clear communication, and take away the expectation of how students need to respond. Instead, we can teach them what we may see most effective and to remember that, "Each of us has his or her own distinct personality. But overlaid on top of that are tendencies and assumptions and reflexes handed down to us by the history of the community we grew up in, and those differences are extraordinarily specific" (Pg. 204). What a great reminder to consider the differences in our students, and to make the effort to create a relationship with each student to have positive learning experiences.
For the second half of Part 2: Legacy, we examine how learning can be affected by language and time frames. In Chapter Eight: Rice Paddies and Math Tests, we see that, interestingly, humans can "store digits in a memory loop that runs for about two seconds" (Pg. 228). In Western number-naming systems, it requires long words to pronounce compared to Asian languages, which are faster to say. Therefore, in Chinese, the same numbers that are said in English would be orated faster, and hence, in Chinese, a longer string of numbers can be memorized in two seconds. How understand numbers also affect how we calculate numbers. "The regularity of their number system also means that Asian children can perform basic functions, such as addition, far more easily" (Pg. 229). As a result we find math skills are not correlated to IQ. If there is a slight advantage because of language what can be done to improve those who don't have it?
In reference to the "Rice Paddies" we are introduced to how time can have an impact on our work ethics. Rice farmers "improved their yields by becoming smarter, by being better makers of their own time, and by making better choices. [... ]Throughout history, not surprisingly, the people who grow rice have always worked harder than almost any other kind of farmer" (Pg. 233). In comparison, we see non rice farmers generally "hibernating" during winter time. The differences in these two types of living philosophies could still be identified today, "Go to any Western college campus and you'll find that Asian students have a reputation for being in the library long after everyone else has left" (Pg. 238), which leads us to the other part of time. With tenacity built into Asian culture, they are more likely to take more time to solve math problems, and they know that the harder they work at something the bigger the reward. Therefore, "Success is a function of persistence and doggedness and the willingness to work hard..." (Pg. 246). If time improves the chances for success, how do we encourage students who have the time, to actually use it towards their own success?
Gladwell ends chapter nine with the debate of whether or not extended break, more particularly, summer break, actually affects learning. With multiple studies arguing that students should be given time to rest and prevent "exhaustion" (according to Western culture), research by Karl Alexander states otherwise. His results show that, "The only problem with school, for the kids who aren't achieving, is that there isn't enough of it" (Pg. 259). The story of KIPP Academy exemplifies the benefit of extra time given to students and staff. Originally established in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in New York City, the school helps elementary students of low income families, who appear to fall behind, to meet or surpass standard expectations. Time allows those who are unable to afford continual learning over summer break, or even weekends, that wealthier students have access to, to make up for that loss time. It also allows more time for teachers to explain lessons, allowing better understanding, increase retention, decrease stress, allow time for games and questions, and most importantly, give meaning to their efforts (Pg. 262).
All in all, what I've discovered from this reading is that despite our background, our culture, the influences of our community, our parents, we each have a chance if we take opportunities that are given our way, and to make good use out of it. Instead of settling for what we know of ourselves, we work hard to use it or change it. In schools, we need to really encourage students to make choices for themselves, and to do so, we must show them what the bigger picture looks like. I know that I will always face that challenge and I know that I won't be able to help them all, but at the least, I know I have to try my hardest if I want them to do so as well.
Reference:
Gladwell, Malcolm. (2008). Outliers: The Story of Success. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.