Themes
Family wealth and background is a huge factor in one’s success
One point in Chapter 4 is that your family’s wealth is the greatest factor in your success. I feel this was the main point of this chapter it was prevalent throughout all of the sections.
Section 1 talks about a man named Chris Langan and how he had trouble completing college because of his family background. His family was so poor that each of his siblings owned only one set of clothes. Chris was very gifted intellectually. He got a full scholarship to Reed, but he ended up losing the scholarship because his mother was confused by the requirements of the parent’s financial statement she had to fill out. If she was wealthier she might have been more motivated to fill out the forms, she also might have not have been confused by the requirements.
Chris then enrolled in Montana State University. He ended up having trouble getting to class, because the transmission fell out of his car. He found a neighbor that was willing to drive him, but only at eleven and Chris couldn’t convince the dean or his adviser to transfer him. If he had a wealthier family, they would be able to afford a better car.
Section 2 maintains this theme by comparing Chris to another genius named Robert Oppenheimer. They had some similarities and some differences. One difference that was emphasized was the wealth of their families. It also stated that Oppenheimer would have been able to convince Chris’s counselor or dean transfer him to afternoon classes.
Section 3 explains how wealthier parents teach their children how to negotiate with authority. Section 4 states that Oppenheimer had the advantage of wealthy parents that Chris lacked, and that Chris probably would have been able to negotiate. It also said that a wealthier family would have nurtured Chris’s intellect.
Section 5 showed the importance of family wealth by taking a bunch of people and putting them in three groups by social class. The poorest group all tested genius at some point in their life. It said that one thing really mattered, which was family wealth.
Section 6 explains how he doesn’t know how to “navigate the world”, because his parents never taught him how. It also says “no one makes it alone”.
Being a genius doesn’t guarantee success
Chris was a genius, he had a “one in a million mind”, yet he didn’t graduate college. This was because there are other factors in one’s success.
In section 5 when a bunch of people where grouped based on wealth, the least wealthy all tested genius at some point in their life. This shows it’s not uncommon to be a genius and not have a well-paying job.
The world lacks equal opportunity
Despite Chris’s intelligence and effort, he wasn’t that successful. It’s because of what I said earlier “Family wealth and background is a huge factor in one’s success.”
One point in Chapter 4 is that your family’s wealth is the greatest factor in your success. I feel this was the main point of this chapter it was prevalent throughout all of the sections.
Section 1 talks about a man named Chris Langan and how he had trouble completing college because of his family background. His family was so poor that each of his siblings owned only one set of clothes. Chris was very gifted intellectually. He got a full scholarship to Reed, but he ended up losing the scholarship because his mother was confused by the requirements of the parent’s financial statement she had to fill out. If she was wealthier she might have been more motivated to fill out the forms, she also might have not have been confused by the requirements.
Chris then enrolled in Montana State University. He ended up having trouble getting to class, because the transmission fell out of his car. He found a neighbor that was willing to drive him, but only at eleven and Chris couldn’t convince the dean or his adviser to transfer him. If he had a wealthier family, they would be able to afford a better car.
Section 2 maintains this theme by comparing Chris to another genius named Robert Oppenheimer. They had some similarities and some differences. One difference that was emphasized was the wealth of their families. It also stated that Oppenheimer would have been able to convince Chris’s counselor or dean transfer him to afternoon classes.
Section 3 explains how wealthier parents teach their children how to negotiate with authority. Section 4 states that Oppenheimer had the advantage of wealthy parents that Chris lacked, and that Chris probably would have been able to negotiate. It also said that a wealthier family would have nurtured Chris’s intellect.
Section 5 showed the importance of family wealth by taking a bunch of people and putting them in three groups by social class. The poorest group all tested genius at some point in their life. It said that one thing really mattered, which was family wealth.
Section 6 explains how he doesn’t know how to “navigate the world”, because his parents never taught him how. It also says “no one makes it alone”.
Being a genius doesn’t guarantee success
Chris was a genius, he had a “one in a million mind”, yet he didn’t graduate college. This was because there are other factors in one’s success.
In section 5 when a bunch of people where grouped based on wealth, the least wealthy all tested genius at some point in their life. This shows it’s not uncommon to be a genius and not have a well-paying job.
The world lacks equal opportunity
Despite Chris’s intelligence and effort, he wasn’t that successful. It’s because of what I said earlier “Family wealth and background is a huge factor in one’s success.”
Luke McDonough