my take on "Outliers"

Having heard such positive comments about Outliers, I figured I should get a copy.

I initially heard about it here and here. A month later (last December to be exact), while hanging out at Mangjose's front lawn sipping vodka with two other friends, the said book became a basis for most of the topics during that night's "drinking session" (Not surprisingly, the drinking session ended early in the morning).

So, I got a copy early this year and having read it once, my immediate impression is:

The book, in general, opens up a deterministic perspective of an individual's success or would-be success. It backs up this claim by using significant statistical facts of all sorts, pointing out the subtle conditions that allowed seemingly ordinary people become successful.


However, I'm planing to read it again because I feel that some of the claims are somewhat flawed - no such thing as perfect. But that remains to be seen.

I don't want to go over the gory details because that is what the book is for. I do recommend the book. It's very interesting (I recall a couple of instances where I ended up pausing for about five minutes staring at the ceiling... fortunately my saliva didn't start dripping down on the side of my mouth) and you don't have to read it in one sitting.

That's it for now... I have to go. *beer bottle caps don't just pop open on their own*

I am completely incapable of making sensible titles

A demon came to me and said,

You surround yourself with people that you call friends and engage in what you consider as intelligent conversations. But really, none of you idiots have any idea of what you're talking about.

You purchase "works of art" because that's what all cool people do - read poetry, listen to music, marvel at exquisite paintings, etcetera, etcetera... You hide behind this facade because deep down you know that you eat, defecate and eventually die just like all of the uncool people of this world.

You work forty hours a week. And, on weekends, you go out to get drunk and wasted, only to wake up on a Monday morning getting ready to go to work again.

You compensate every unfortunate situation that you have experienced with biased and therefore false rationalizations. But, think about it... if it happens it happens. You can't un-sad a sad situation. All you can do, puny hooman, is to just... Suck. It. Up.

See you around...

After a while, an angel appeared and said,

Yes, the world can put you down sometimes. But then there's this thing called hope. This may sound naive but basically it's the only thing that has kept the whole world turning all this time. Well, THAT and angular momentum.

Do you remember what it was like being a kid? You didn't care about "things that really matter". Everything you were experiencing no matter how minute was - to you - already a big discovery. When you felt sad you cried. When you were happy you laughed your heart out. And when you felt like pooping you pooped and didn't care where you were at that particular instant. In short, you were free and you ARE free... er, except for the pooping part.

So, you can either drown yourself with senseless pessimism -OR- you can unleash that inner child in you and well... do something. Anything. Do anyone - if that's your sort thing. Yeah... who says Angels can't rhyme? We geddin' it down here dawg!

Please, don't listen what that "emo kid" said a while ago. I suggest you listen to reggae instead. Just don't over do the whole rastafari thing because dreads are overrated as well as weed - It's not even a drug anymore.

Take care...

confused and unable to understand what the hell just happened, I sighed and said,

meh

i can't think of a title for this

I've been rearranging the tiny little bookshelf in the corner my room and stumbled upon this. That book had a certain kick in it because: First, the story revolved around Death who is - IMHO - THE most interesting sibling among all of the Endless, next to Morpheus of course. Second, among all of gaiman's work, this - for me - had the most yummy introduction (written by Tori Amos). You can read the said yummy introduction here.

Well, that's it for now. I just thought I should share that tiny little tidbit for all the prying eyes hovering over this insignificant blog.