https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell en-us 2017-12-15 23:56:57 UTC 2025-11-02 00:28:27 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/aws/80961422/f3ce7749a9d5e7071c220444b031fa3993493cf0/926da18fbe111c4acc55d6aeb6b6e75d.jpg 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646868 I was really amused, yet inspired by this quote. In the introduction, Gladwell explains the well-known story of David and Goliath. In his analysis of why Goliath lost despite his immense size and bulky armor, he cites a medical condition as the reason for his perceived strengths. Acromegaly, a disease that causes a tumor in the pituitary gland and causing overproduction of growth hormone, is the reason why Goliath was so tall. A side effect of Acromegaly is vision problems, which is the reason why Goliath reacted to David the way that he did. This may be an ironic comment on the possibility that one's perceived strengths are actually weaknesses in disguise that can be taken advantage of.]]> 2017-12-15 23:56:57 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646868 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646869 Astute: having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.

Jim's astute intuition enabled him to get the job after he observed a job opening due to an injured employee.]]> 2017-12-15 23:56:57 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646869 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646870 December 15, 2017]]> 2017-12-15 23:56:57 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646870 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646871 Here is where you will tell me what pages you will read for each week. I will give you class time Monday to create your site and map out a reading schedule for yourself based on the dates below. 

DUE DATES:  
Week #1: 12/15 
Week #2: 12/21
Week #3: 1/5

]]> 2017-12-15 23:56:57 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216646871 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216648342 Building off his earlier point about a feeble person exploiting weaknesses of a stronger person, Gladwell then explains the necessity of hard work to accomplish this. Using the example of an underdog basketball team that utilized a novel strategy to land themselves a spot in the National Championships, Gladwell demonstrates how using unconventional tactics to attack the weaknesses of the strong is not a free ticket to success; it requires putting in more effort the strong. Running rather than the strong. Suffering more than the strong. This personally spoke to me, as it sets the expectation straight. As an underdog, you can beat the strong, but it will require blood, sweat, and tears.]]> 2017-12-16 00:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/216648342 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902128 2017-12-23 02:48:06 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902128 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902338 I noticed Gladwell really likes using the second person in his logical arguments. The use of "us" and "you" captures the reader due to an unconscious "forced teaming" effect that draws the reader on the author's side. This creates a more casual tone for the reader, imitating a simple conversation with the narrator. When he creates a logical chain to explain why being rich actually makes parenting harder due to the fact that a rich child would not learn about the value of hard work, Gladwell's direct address to the reader using the word "you" forces the reader to actively think about the argument, which enables the reader to understand and internalize the argument more effectively. Gladwell also uses the phrase "I think" to create a sort of qualifier-like effect in which he doesn't overtly force his opinion onto the reader. Instead, he suggests his argument to the reader stressing that it is his own opinion; it is what "[he] thinks". The usage of this phrase also creates adds to the conversational tone, as a more formal style of writing would not include this phrase. ]]> 2017-12-23 03:02:45 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902338 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902676 I find it interesting how Gladwell manages to take a relatively complex topic, create a name for it, and apply it to many different situations in a seamless manner. In this concept, he refers to the phenomenon where humans compare themselves to the people in the same circumstances as them. Therefore, if you are a little fish in a big pond (student around many geniuses at Harvard), you would be discouraged. However, if you are a big fish in a little pond (student at a less prestigious university), your chances of success would actually be greater due to your self-confidence surrounding being smarter than your peers. He assigns this scientific phenomenon a catchy name: Big fish in a little pond. Therefore, any time he applies this principle to any of the examples that he brings up later, he only has to say "Big Pond" or "Little Pond" for the reader to understand what he means. The usage of this synecdoche simplifies the language of the book, making it easier for the average reader to understand.]]> 2017-12-23 03:33:56 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902676 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902788 I enjoyed Gladwell's use of scientific studies to prove that you do not need to get into a top Ivy in order to live a successful life. In the study that he cites, scientists compared the percentiles of SAT scores with their corresponding students' rates of receiving science degrees at Harvard and at a "lesser" college called Hartwick. They found that the students in the bottom third of the Harvard class drop out of math and science just as much as their counterparts at Hartwick. They reasoned that the bottom ranks of Harvard students, despite getting into one of the most prestigious universities in the world, easily become intimidated and swallowed up by all the smart people on campus, leading to them dropping out of their major. The results from the study show that going to Harvard is not as much of a free ticket-to-success as people make it seem to be, especially if going to Harvard means losing your self-confidence and drive to succeed.]]> 2017-12-23 03:47:20 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902788 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902850 Deprivation: n. the lack or denial of something considered to be a necessity.

The deprivation of the basic ethics in politics may have caused all of the scandals that have been on the news as of late.]]> 2017-12-23 03:54:07 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/217902850 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218128547 2017-12-29 00:03:31 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218128547 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218131766 Gladwell repeatedly brings up the point that people are more confident and more willing to challenge the status quo after a period of suffering. He brings up the example of a study done by historian Lucille Iremonger, who found that 67% of prime ministers in Britain from the beginning of the 19th century to the start of World War II lose a parent before the age of sixteen. Indeed, it would make sense that someone who had experienced one of the worst things that could happen to a person - and survive to tell the tale - would think nothing of the consequences of everyday risks. When thinking about how this applies to my personal life, I realized that I've been fortunate enough to never have such a tragic event happen to me, but I can probably apply this "fear of failing" mindset to my daily life. Sometimes its the fear of failing that actually prevents success! Also, this is probably why I procrastinate so much. I procrastinate to the point that I stay up until 2AM sometimes and feel like I'm at the point of no return. And then when I emerge alive the next day, I am motivated to do it again. After all, I survived once; I might as well do it again! ]]> 2017-12-29 03:12:47 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218131766 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218192551 This section tells a story about how a boy named Gary Cohn, who was used to being socially ostracized due to his dyslexia, took it upon himself to jump into a cab with a prominent Wall Street businessman and pretend he was an expert on options trading in order to land himself a job. This one risk that he took brought him from his career in construction to eventually becoming the president of Goldman Sachs. The quote explains how, in order to become successful, one has to take risks. The act of jumping in that cab comes the risk of looking like a lunatic. The act of going around to hundreds of different places to find a job almost guarantees the rejection and failure of many opportunities. However, letting the fear of failure take over will prevent any chance of success, and that really spoke to me. I've always looked up to people in stories that call up every number in the phone book until finally finding that one person that gives them an opportunity, and soon the desperate person looking for a job turns into a multimillionaire due to their efforts. I can be that person too. ]]> 2017-12-30 16:59:27 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218192551 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218193618 Gladwell applies this quote in the context of how British military officers tasked with quelling the fire of a "rebellious Irish Catholic town" failed to recognize that harsh punishments will lead to more rebellion, not less. However, I find that these principles apply to many other areas as well. For example, when one is tasked with leading a group in school, it is important that everyone's opinions are heard. Otherwise, people will be discouraged from contributing and voicing their ideas to the group. This quote also exemplifies the simple and logical form that Gladwell writes with in his work. In this quote, he orders his points like a list, with a brief tagline ["the authority has to be fair" (208).] stating the argument, and then an easy-to-understand explanation directly after his tagline. This simple way of writing enables him to reach a wide range of audiences.

]]> 2017-12-30 17:32:41 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218193618 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218197764 In this section, Gladwell talks about how the civil rights movement cleverly created the conditions of a brutal racist attack via an image of police brutality of a police dog attacking a defenseless African American boy. However, in reality, the police were trying to pull the dog away from the boy, and the boy was in the process of kicking the police dog. Even though the picture was not an accurate representation of reality, the spread of this picture ended up turning the tide in the civil rights movement's favor. Gladwell portrays this trickery through a misleading photo as a positive event, a tool that underdogs can use to leverage their way to the top. However, this is only half the story. In the status quo, pictures taken out of context are often used to slander an individual or group. Often the rapid spread of a picture over social media may ruin the life of victim through the "witch hunts" that occur after such a picture is leaked. Gladwell's underlying message rings true though; in order to beat the giant, one can use trickery to their advantage.]]> 2017-12-30 19:56:24 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218197764 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218415457 I enjoy the many footers that Gladwell inserts into his story. This one relates  to graphic and racially intolerant chant sang by Irish Protestants celebrating their victory over the Catholics. However, Gladwell includes this interesting footnote that does not contribute anything vital to the story, but adds a certain bit of quirky human interest into the mix. In other footnotes, Gladwell delves into the specifics of a scientific study that he mentions in the main body, for the curious reader that wants to learn more. Some of the time I skip over the footnotes, but for the ones I do read, they add a sort of a break in the text that allows me to relax and internalize what I just read.]]> 2018-01-03 00:33:40 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218415457 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218647315 Extenuate: make (a guilt or offense) seem less serious or more forgivable.

The fact that the student had many extenuating circumstances such as the dog ate his homework, made the teacher forgive him for forgetting his homework. ]]> 2018-01-03 21:35:08 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218647315 19zhaoa https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218648713 This is a quote spoken by Mike Reynolds, who is consumed by hate after his daughter is murdered. Ever since, his daughter's murder sends him into a rage, tearing down anything and anyone that he comes across. When I came across this quote, I wondered how I would personally react to a loved one being murdered. I hope that I would, instead of being consumed by rage and sorrow for the rest of my life, have the strength and courage to forgive and move on. ]]> 2018-01-03 21:49:38 UTC https://padlet.com/19zhaoa/prhfo79ifjjj/wish/218648713