You Are So, So Wrong

Gladwell begins his book by stating his perception of how we view the road to success and then shooting down that view:
"...we assume that it is...personal qualities that explain how the individual reached the top...the story line is always the same: our hero is born in modest circumstances and by virtue of his own grit and talent fights his way to greatness."

But wait!

"...I want to convince you that these kinds of personal explanations of success don't work...[successful people are] the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies...It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn't."

See? It's not my fault Bunny Knight was my high school's sweetheart and I spent all my time in the library. That skinny ho had a jillion friends and a cool wardrobe and the hottest boyfriends because her folks had money and lived in a nice neighborhood and mine didn't.