Outliers

As part of an SPS Commerce book club, I found the following notes and quotes interesting from Outliers:

Chapter 1: Mathew effect

25: selection, streaming, and differentiated experience. 

Most selected didn't succeed.

33: why don't adjust for age? Because individual success. Really?!?



Chapter 2: 10,000 hour rule

39: no greats practiced less than other greats. No mediocre practiced more than other mediocre.

Should master level be a goal?



Chapter 3: The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 1

86: How far past “good enough” doesn’t affect outcome. Does it affect anything (e.g. study time, number of expertise areas, expectations, stress, etc)?

Having few people like you means less connection with people.

convergence vs. divergence tests



Chapter 4: The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 2

104: poor intimidated by authority

 concerned cultivation vs. accomplishment of natural growth (lax intellectually)

Entitlement vs. better behaved, less whiny, more creative with time, independent

105: middle class children adjusted interactions



Is our education of the poor fatally flawed?



Chapter 5: The Three Lessons of Joe Flom

How much of a factor are personal differences?



Chapter 6: Harlen Kentucky

A deeper understanding brings clarity. Is our understanding deep enough?



Chapter 7: The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes

184: multiple bad initial conditions plus 7 consecutive errors. Usually teamwork/communication

197: helper must speak up and clearly.

220: change cultural norms for pilots in their 50s.

221: don't avoid talking about group weaknesses.



Chapter 8: Rice Paddies and Math Tests
228: memorize 2 seconds so length of words affects number of digits.

Number names affect ease of math learning

237: if yield highly varies with care, you can't use slave labor. Use fixed rents. Hard work vs. fatalism

246: not ability -- attitude (persistence)



Chapter 9: Marita’s Bargain

More time schooling and don’t stop learning in the summer


Epilogue: A Jamaican Story