Book Report

So I read Malcom Gladwell's latest book called "Outliers: The Story of Success." He also wrote "The Tipping Point" which is about the causes of social epidemics (fashion, crime, trends,etc), and he also wrote "Blink" which is about how people make judgements and subconsciously form opinions. He is more of a social scientist, but the things he observes and concludes make sense.

Anyway, Outliers is about things that make people successful. It doesn't give any magic bullets of success, but it does identify some imortant traits. One thing the book highlights is an impediment to success, and that is a culture of pride and honor. Gladwell uses Harlan, Kentucky, and family feuds as an example of how a culture of honor has oppressed an area and kept it from developing. People spend all of their resources trying to kill their neighbors and in doing so never progress to anything. After a fashion, people are killing each other because that's what they are supposed to do, all in the name of honor.

This book is the easiest way I have found to explain how the Middle East is so jacked up from a western standpoint. Until tribes can reconcile, and religious groups can learn to get along, the whole region will be prevented from achieving its potential. A good chunk of the violence around here is sheik and tribe vs. sheik and tribe. The sunni/shia civil war was all about pride. The conflict of Iran and, well, just about anyone, is about pride an honor: Who is the rightful heir, who are the infidels that dare show disrespect to Persia/Islamic State of Iran, how dare they impose their western ways on us, the oldest civilization around. Oldest? Yes. Best? Not so much, but that's up for debate.

If you have never read one of his books, I'd recommend it. I'm not a voracious reader, and I am easily distracted, but I find his stuff to be pretty interesting.

Hope you are well-- take care.

Ron