The Matthew Effect Essay

In the texts "The Matthew Effect" by Malcom Gladwell and "Mindsets and Equitable Education" by Carol Dweck, the two authors seem to be arguing two completely opposite ideas, but they have a lot more in common when you actually break their ideas down. These two text give a problem (presented by Gladwell) and a solution (given by Dweck). Gladwell presents the problem that success is the result of circumstance, and Dweck fixes the issue by arguing that you can have success, no matter the circumstance, when you have a growth mindset.
Gladwell believes The Matthew Effect plays a key role in a persons success. The Matthew Effect is the idea that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Gladwell also believes in the concept of relative age. Relative age is the idea that athletes born in the first three months after the cutoff date will …show more content…
Using the example Gladwell presented about hockey players can prove Dweck's theory of growth mindset. In the collected data there is one hockey player by the name of Derek Dorsett, who was born on December 20, almost a full hear after the cutoff date. Using Dwecks concept of growth mindset Dorsett didn't make the elite team just by chance, Dorsett most likely had a growth mindset. A growth mindset would put Dorsett in the position to exceed expectations and have a strong work ethic; overall, making Dorsett an outstanding hockey player born in December.
Gladwell and Dweck both present accurate arguments that fit together beautifully. Gladwell proposes the idea that success is merely circumstance, saying a person has little room to change how successful they are, but if that person wants more success Dweck comes in with an important claim about growth mindset. If you want to change your circumstances you must have a positive attitude and a strong work ethic which make up a growth mindset. These two seemingly opposite text actually relate more than one would