Question #1: Gladwell ended his story about the community in Roseto, Pennsylvania with this: “In Outliers, I want to do for our understanding of success what Steward Wolf did for our understanding of health” 11). What do you think this means? What do you think Gladwell’s book try and show us? about 100 words.
Question #2: In Roseto, no one was used to thinking about health in terms of community. Gladwell is suggesting a connection between success and community. Community is defined as follows:
a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
In other words, Success has to be understood through the culture we are a part of, who our friends and family are, what common attitudes, interests and goals we have with the people we spend time with. The values of the world we inhabit and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are. After reading the Introduction to this book, explore how you feel this connection to “community” has shaped who you are today. You need to analyze the culture of your family and friends. What are the attitudes? Interests? Shared goals? What do these cultures value? Finally . . . and perhaps most importantly . . . What are the challenges? Discuss what your own feeling of community is (if you feel you have one, or not), and how it has influenced your own chance at success. about 200 words