In his novel, David Shank reiterates his belief on how becoming a success and a talented person is done through "years and years and years" of hard work and perspiration (120). When people fail, many of them turn and blame their own genetics as being faulty which in thus caused them to fail. Shenk argues how "the worst kind of blame, and the most common, is on one's own biology" (123). He also comments on how he believes that "the very belief of possessing inferior genes is perhaps our greatest obstacle to success" (123).
What do you think about Shenk's position on this matter? Do you agree or disagree? Explain Why. What factors influence how successful and talented a person can be? How does this belief relate to growth vs. fixed minded people? Are these state of minds innate or are they created through experiences? If so, what type of experiences would lead and foster to the creation of fixed minded people? Growth minded people?
-Arjun Ahuja (aahuja12@gmail.com)
The main argument in the book is that everyone has the ability to become a genius, Shenk is arguing against the people who blame their genetics for their intelligence levels. I agree with Shenk that heredity should not affect intelligence levels unless it is a disability. From birth we are dependent on others to take care of us. A human child needs the most attention and care then any other animal. Parents give up a lot of energy to take care of their children for years until they are mature. The child is dependent on the parents and the people around him or her to learn how to live. But that is not limited just to that but children also learn academic subjects, to play a musical instrument and to play a sport. The interaction the child has with the world around them influences them greatly. This includes the values and ideals that are in the society the child lives in. If parents and other care givers value learning the child will grow up with these values of gaining higher knowledge. Even as an adult, I believe if they can set a realistic goal and believe in themselves this would make them them successful and talented at the end once they reached their goals. Personally I think that closed minded people do not want to try and to experience something new because they dislike change or afraid. With the right attitude they can surely change their mind to become more open and take more chances in life. An open state of mind is innate in human beings because if see the number of developmental milestones babies make in their first year is amazing. By providing babies with stimulating environmental they will soak up the knowledge. If these values are continued throughout life I think that they could become successful people. A fixed minded person has gone through some sort of experience which has changed their minds that has made them think that they do not have the ability to become more intelligent.
ReplyDeleteAyana Dambaeva (adambaeva@gmail.com)
Sociology
http://edu.learnsoc.org/Chapters/4%20key%20concepts%20in%20sociology/20%20social%20values%20and%20norms.htm
Like Ayana, I agree with David Shenk that in many cases, people blame their genetics as an obstacle to a particular success. As Michael Jordan once stated, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed." Even Michael Jordan, who has exceeded tremendously in basketball, had to overcome so much failure and trials to get to where he is now—the same goes for the thousands of others who have succeeded extraordinarily. And the truth is that many people are afraid and unwilling to cope with these hardships and trials. But instead of coming to terms with their unwillingness to try, it’s much easier, instead, to put the handful of people really willing to work hard on the pedestal and label them as gifted or “different”. Shenk never argues that we are all capable genetically of being equally intelligent or skilled. As Campbell highlights, everyone is genetically different—a unique combination of the DNA from a mother and a father. (Campbell Chapter 16) Instead, he argues that many of us never come close to “knowing our own true potential”. (12)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Shenk when he states that “early exposure, exceptional instruction, constant practice, family nurturance, and a child’s intense will to learn” (64) are all factors that play into how successful a person becomes. Indeed, outside aspects such as availability of resources and tools are important as well. After all, how far could’ve Michael Jordan gone even with his eagerness to learn if he had no access to a basketball court or ball? And like I stated earlier, the “child’s intense to learn”: the overwhelming ability to overcome countless failure and keep pursuing a goal. Personally, I believe this is perhaps the most important factor. A child must want, believe, and try. Someone could hand them all the resources in the world, but if she doesn’t want to work for it, it’ll come to nothing. I think, alongside with Shenk, that it’s such a tragedy that children “mistake early difficulties for innate limits.” (12)
Early negative experiences, I think, are what lead to a fixed mindset. They are not innate; no one is born thinking that they are incapable of doing something. The environment, personal experiences, the people we encounter all play into fixed minded people. For example, in his article, “Talent: a difference that makes a difference”, Greg Downey highlights “how the concept of talent itself actually affects the unfolding and compounding of developmental variation”. He criticizes how the cultural concept of talent actually de-motivates many children who do not display early “promise”.
Sara Yoojin Lee (yoojin3795@hotmail.com)
Outside Sources:
http://www.quotesandpoem.com/quotes/listquotes/author/michael-jordan
http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/05/20/talent-a-difference-that-makes-a-difference/