The Borgenicht Family

The classic American success story of rags to riches has captivated those around the world causing immigrants to rush to America's shores since the birth of the country in efforts to establish themselves through their relentless hard work, often fundamental traits from their native countries. Through the high immigration rates in the United States, the idea of higher competition rates in the workplace and employment remains a worry for American born citizens. Consequently, these fears have become a reality, as recent statistics show those who acquire an American citizenship are 36 percent less likely to fall below the poverty line (Giridharadas). These statistics enrich Gladwell’s narration of the Borgenicht family, immigrants who established
a steady income in girls' fashion after peddling, introducing the significance of hard work to one’s story of success and conveying the revelation that through the hard work many immigrants put in to make it in America, they reap the “immigrant advantage” which allows them on average to be more successful. Subsequently, New York Times journalist Anand Giridharadas, who observed immigrants and their economics of hard work, concluded that the majority of immigrants rarely expect to receive financial aid from the government, and often times went to great means to save money in order to purchase textbooks that could improve their education, opening more job opportunities for them (Giridharadas). The work ethics of many immigrants demonstrate one of Gladwell’s ideas – that one must be willing to put in the time and effort needed in order to see results, and that a story of success does not accumulate suddenly – most evidently seen with the Janklows, an immigrant family who lacked success until the second generation. As Gladwell explained the story of struggle in the world of law for Maurice Janklow, and how his hard work laid a foundation for his son to later find success in, it is exhibited to the readers that the advantages passed on from parents to children in another key factor to success. A crucial aspect that allows immigrants to claim larger success rates is due to their skills and education levels developed prior to moving to America (Chua, Rubenfield).The claims by Chua and Rubenfield, journalists of the New York times, are in agreement of Gladwell’s point on this, in which exhibited that those who work on rice paddy fields, are forced to exhibit absolute diligence and hard work to ensure their harvests; traits that are carried over to those who chose to immigrate, and is shown in the American workplace. Through the hard work demonstrated by American immigrants to become successful outliers, one can conclude that citizens of America have the responsibility in paying their own way and taking their dreams into their own hands.
Although the American Dream seems attainable from the outside, for many Americans it’s a fantasy that lies in a land of destitution, as poverty rates remain a modern day struggle for citizens, affecting the lives of students across the nation and handicapping their future due to financial instability.
Since 1964 when president Lyndon B. Johnson made a declaration on a “war against poverty,” many Americans have remained in dire need of financial help, with more than 46 million Americans living below the poverty line (Gabriel). McDowell County, West Virginia has claim to lowest median annual household income in the nation of $22,000, trapping its 20,000 inhabitants in the cycle of Appalachian poverty (Gabriel). With an inability to escape the hardships since one’s family background and wealth play a role in one’s success, the lives of those in McDowell County relate to Chris Langan, a poverty stricken citizen of Montana and a genius holding an IQ of roughly 200, unable to graduate college due to his minimal financial resources. Kent McGuire, the president of Southern Education Foundation, notes that an inequality has been established between students due to the economic prosperity of one’s background, and an emphasis by school administrators has begun in order to improve the system in these regions as early on as preschool, so that children have better means of reaching their academic potential (Layton). This provides commentary on Gladwell’s idea that being a genius does not
guarantee one’s success, as seen with Chris Langan, as one must have their skills nurtured, which is best available to those who have wealth. The correlation between family wealth and success rates in the world of academics contributes to Gladwell’s theory, due to recent research by Sean Reardon, Professor of Education and Sociology at Stanford University, who deduced on the effects the widening gap between the upper and lower classes has on the incoming generation:
“ .
. families with higher incomes tend to be those in which the parent(s) are highly educated. This has long been true, though the link between parental educational attainment and family income has grown stronger in recent decades, as the wage returns to educational attainment have increased since 1979. Because highly educated parents are more able and more likely than less educated parents to provide resources and opportunities for their children to develop cognitive and academic skills in both the preschool years and the school-age years, children of parents with college degrees may have higher academic achievement . .
.”
With similar interpretations, Gladwell and Reardon both conclude that those from higher income families are given the better means to “navigate the world,” as lower income students often times lack support from their families, and consequently contribute to their higher college dropout rates. Through the evidence provided by Gladwell that opportunity is not evenly distributed, those with higher income develop a sense of authority in the world and are seen with a more privileged attitude that allows them to better seize opportunities to best suit them, as featured with the Williamses in Outliers. As poverty continues to take a toll on the education system, it is revealed that citizens of the United States do not always live in country where the “streets are paved of gold,” but face struggles to stay financially afloat.