How can being born during the depression to immigrant Jewish garment workers be an advantage that leads to success as a New York lawyer?
Expanding on the theory that circumstances shape extreme examples of success as much as individual effort, Gladwell tells the story of Joe Flom, representative of a class of powerful attorneys from similar humble backgrounds. Flom was born to immigrant Jewish parents who worked in the garment trade in New York City during the depression. He rose to become one of the most powerful lawyers in that city, and a name partner at one of the world's largest law firms, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom.
Gladwell recasts those disadvantages as advantages:
- Birthrates fell during the depression; a small demographic cohort meant that public schools were not overcrowded, nor was the job market when it was time for that age cohort to begin work
- Discrimination against Jews meant that Jewish lawyers were not hired by the best firms, and so in many cases founded their own firms, in part because of the example set by their parents, who
- Worked in the garment trade and passed on a legacy of the relationship between hard work and reward
How likely is Joe Flom's story to be played out today?
Did you see Malcolm Gladwell on 60 Minutes last night? The context was a story about "red shirting" which is holding back young 5 year olds from entering kindergarden in order to give them a competitive advantage in areas such as leadership, popularity, and sports. They spoke to Gladwell saying that this example of parents trying to maximize advantages for their kids is a result, in part, from his book. He acknowledged "cumulative advantages" but did not necessarily promote red shirting. I thought the opposing arguments were very good. One expert called it "educational quackery" citing that sometimes older kids in a classroom exhibit behavioral problems due to boredom. He also pointed out that the practice is quite inequitable since parents in lower socioeconomic groups often can't afford child care to hold their 5 year old back an additional year. Interesting story.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Wendy. I didn't see the piece, but I'll look for it. In the context of some of the learning data that Gladwell addresses later in the book, it is suprising to me that he didn't comment about the socioeconomic inequity of the practice.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to that 60 Minutes article. I thought it was interesting. Because my birthday is in December, I was always a bit older and ahead of my classmates growing up, but my brother (who's birthday is in July) had the opposite experience. So I can see both sides.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57459888/redshirting-holding-kids-back-from-kindergarten/?tag=mncol;lst;5