Is Obama the End of Black Politics? Essay Example

How much of Obama’s success would readers of outliners be able to predict?

This essay will project the extent to which Malcolm Gladwell’s (2008) account of Obama’s success has been communicated through writings in the Outliners. Also, an analysis Dreams of my Father written by Obama himself will be used as reflections in interpreting the reading audience’s impressions of the theory Gladwell (2008) is attempting to communicate. Essentially, the purpose of this essay is to draw connections/relationships between theory and the actual case while familiarizing myself with the thinking of other writers regarding the theoretical Obama espoused by Gladwell (2008) and the practical personality observed in the media and other articulated sources ( Gladwell, 2008).

Gladwell (2008) gives a profound personal perspective of Obama’s success from the paradigm that there is a significant social trend defining successful people. Before including Obama he makes references to important figures such as Bill Gates; Joseph Flom and the achievements of many Canadian ice hockey players who were born in the early months of the year. Theoretically, he concluded that cultural differences significantly influence intelligence and decision making process in the individual’s life. He cited the fortunes of two men who were equally endowed with exceptional intelligence, but ultimately experienced contrasting outcomes in their life success course. These two men to which Gladwell (2008) referred were Christopher Langan and Robert Oppenheimer, (Gladwell, 2008).

Consequently, Gladwell (2008) developed a theoretical assumption expressing the ‘10,000 hour rule.’ In this conceptualization the theorist claims that the key element to achieving success in any endeavor requires the individual to practice the specific task for 10,000 hours. In reinforcing this philosophical interpretation of success, which he eventually theorizes Gladwell (2008) He further articulates that, ‘it is not enough to ask what successful people are like ….. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn’t ‘(Gladwell, 2008, pp. 20).

With reference to Obama’s achievement as the first African American President of United States of America, if one were to associate  this with  Gladwell’s (2008) theoretical assumptions it would means that Obama’s successes were linked to where he was born, the time  he was born and how he practiced 10,000 hour rule. In drawing connections/relationships between theory and the actual case Obama’s account of his life as related in Dreams from my Father inevitably, must be referenced for a profound analysis of this subject.

Obama’s (2004) experiences according to his account of Dreams for my Father while portraying a father whose impact in his daily life was minimal since after age two he saw him once after and his mother remarried into a different culture. In rating Gladwell’s (2008) theoretical assumption regarding success being related to where a person came from. Geographically, according to his story he was simply a biracial American boy growing up with a mother in Hawaii; Jarkta and Hawaii. Later he moved to Los Angeles; New York and eventually Chicago (Obama, 2004).

How does this geographic rotation influence Obama’s success or is there enough evidence in his case to prove Gladwell’s (2008) assumption correct In my opinion the geographic location  from where a person came alone does not significantly impact a his/her successes. Gladwell (2008) further clarified his premise by adding culture as being a key element to a person’s achievements. In Dreams from my Father Obama’s social origin was linked to an African father whose ambition it was to attend and graduate from a renowned American College. However, financial difficulties thwarted this ambition as he was forced to return to Kenya (Obama, 2004).

How did this culturally impact Obama’s success? He was two years old when his father and mother were divorced. How could phenomenon significantly relate to from where Obama came in predicting his success? Precisely, Gladwell argues ‘it is not enough to ask what successful people are like ….. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn’t ‘(Gladwell, 2008, pp. 20). Where they came from is the key note engagement of this contention as to how Obama rose to the place of first African American President of United States of America.

In reality he is truly African American to recall where he came from as a social being; an African father and American mother, raised as a white child predominantly. For me this made a great difference in his achievement as the first African American president in America. Obama was neither black nor white. Therefore, he could not have practiced racial prejudice, which influenced American politics regarding blacks being at the bottom and white supreme. Consequently, could this have been Obama’s 10,000 hour rule practice responsible for his successes according to Gladwell’s (2008) assumptions. However, he was not born during the early months of the year. It was 4^th of August during the second half of the year.

Importantly, the extent to which Outliners satisfyingly explains Obama achievements  as he did in Dreams from my Father  is limited to where he came from and whether the 10,000 hour rule was applied. In the memoir Obama recalls his achievements up to when he was enrolled in Harvard Law School; a school his father attended, but could not fulfill his dream because he was a poor African young man; who did not have the financial resources to achieve this success. Therefore, where he came from did influence greatly Obama’s achievement as a great scholar as well as politician. Further, he related how as a biracial child, classified black, he made his white parents proud when he was among one of six black students to be enrolled at Punahou School, a private college-preparatory school (Obama, 2004)

With regards to practicing a 10,000 hour rule the reading audience cannot follow Obama’s career closely enough as related in ‘Dream from my Father’ to detect a distinctly a 10,000 hour rule he ever followed. However, many speculations including mine were that he practiced inclusivity and love for all humankind during his career as a lawyer and politician.Dowdle, Andrew; van Raemdonck, Dirk; Maranto, Robert (2011) in their book ‘The Obama Presidency Change and Continuity’ gave accounts in Chapter 2 voicing Obama’s promise of ‘Making Race Go Away: President Obama and the Promise of a Post-racial Society’ (Dowdle, ;van Raemdonck & Maranto (2011).

Wilbert Rich (2011) writing in this chapter declared that President Obama was not only the first African American, but represented a ‘quintessential acknowledgement that Americans now live in a multiracial nation’ (Rich, 2011, pp.18). Further, Rich (2011) explained that America long required a president who embraced the aspirations of minorities as well as related to the concerns of the majorities. For him these characteristics/qualities were evident in President Obama, who represented the different type of President Americans need in a twenty-first century society. Precisely, Rich clarified that Obama’s presidency campaign was articulated from the premise of race relations regarding it as a referendum of race relations (Rich, 2011, pp.18).

Barack Obama was not the first and only African American who ran for American presidency. Ever since segregation was removed from the law books, blacks have been forging their way into the political arena at different levels, but none succeed before Barack Obama. Refereeing to Gladwell’s(2008) story of success theory and Obama own account of his life up to when he entered Harvard Law School, it is clear from where he came as well as secret practice of a 10,000 hour rulemade him the attain the position of  America’s first African American President.

As Obama’s presidential successes unfold serving a second term in office no one can deny that his focus is bridging the gaps created among blacks, whites, minorities and majorities removing boundaries of racial prejudice that existed and are still evident in relationships within the society. From where he came is the extent to which opportunities have been created to exercise the power in achieving this goal. Again he is neither black nor white and within his biracial family structure he practice the 10,000 hour rule of love all people irrespective of whether he/she is born America, black, white or African.

Gladwell (2008) emphasized distinct features towards achieving greatness. In his account of the story of success he eloquently compared people with the same intelligence obtaining contrasting achievements. To briefly compare Rev Jessie Jackson’s Sr. American presidency campaign failure and Barrack Obama’s attempted success when Gladwell’s theory is applied it can be identified that there were significant differences in form where each candidate came in terms of cultural orientation even though both  African American men. Precisely, Rev Jackson Sr. emerged from the civil rights movement where racial animosity was at its highest. What was his 10,000 hour rule, perhaps practice of racial prejudice? His campaign was a failure from the start. Where he came from along with the 10,000 rule influenced the outcome (Bai, 2008).

A New York Times reporter, Bai Matt (2008), evaluating the racial/political tension, which existed during Obama’s campaign and his ability to articulate peaceful resolution quoted African American political activists  James Clyburn, who was release from jail 46 years after being imprisoned for leading a protest against segregation. Clyburn fearfully and tearfully explained that any black leader in America even at the end of 2007 still believed, based on their life experiences trying to enter American politics that no black man was going to win the nomination much more its presidency. No African America believed that it could happen. Obama said, ‘Yes we can!” (Bai, 2008).

According to Gladwell’s  (2008) related in  the outliners theory Obama’s successes were linked to where he was born, the time  he was born and how he practiced 10,000 hour rule. In drawing connections/relationships between theory and the actual case Obama’s account of his life as related in Dreams from my Father was inevitably, referenced for a profound analysis of this subject. In the analysis evidence pointed strongly to where he came from and with discrete articulation identification of a 10,000 hour rule. Obama unconsciously practiced the 10,000 hour rule from birth. From his political life this could be identified as racial inclusivity.

Works cited

Bai, Matt. (6th August, 2008). Is Obama the End of Black Politics? The New York Times.

Dowdle, Andrew; van Raemdonck, Dirk; Maranto, Robert. The Obama Presidency Change and Continuity. Routledge. New York and London. 2011. Print

Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliners. Little Brown and company. United States of America. 2008. Print

Obama, Barrack. Dreams from my father. Times Books. 2004. Print