THE THREE LESSONS OF JOE FLOM

By: Amanda Sanchez, Michael Boyle, Dylan McConville, Gianna Jones, and Taylor Sobel

JOE FLOM

-”grew up in the Depression in Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood” (116)

-”his parents were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe” (116) -his family was desperately poor (117) He claimed that he wanted to be a lawyer since he was six years-old

and later on grew up to be just that (117) All of these are the components (major points) that Gladwell

elaborates on in the chapter

LESSON ONE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING JEWISH (121)

• Being Jewish brought down the opportunities of finding a job. “I was…had come far.” (121-122)• He said he felt “uncomfortable” when he went to

interviews “He says…in the library.” (123)• Being Jewish was considered a disadvantage and they were

discriminated against- “But the true… and outlier.” ( 120)

LESSON 1: CONTINUED

• There were hostile fights in Jewish law firms but it was perfect for Flom “What…be bought” (124-125)

• In the end, the “disadvantage” of being Jewish was an advantage because it separated their ethnicity and Flom was able to do what he wanted to

• “ The…Moore” (127)

• Timing was an advantage as well “If you were not …opportunity.” (123-124)

• In the end, being Jewish was a happy accident for Joe Flom, and it was an advantage rather than a drawback.

LESSON TWO: DEMOGRAPHIC LUCK (129)

• Demographics is statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.• This has to do with timing

within this lesson

FATHER AND SON

• Maurice Janklow (the father in this example) was born in 1902 and spent most of his life on the edge of poverty. (132)

• - Went to Brooklyn Law School

• - Closed titles for twenty-five dollars

• “When the Depression…been worse” (132-133)

• Mort Janklow was then born in the 1930s

• - Went to New York public schools when they were at their best (138)

• - Went to Columbia University law School

• - Sold his cable business for tens of millions of dollars

• His timing was much better than his father’s

• More opportunities: education, resources

LESSON 2: CONTINUED

• Mort started a literary agency in the 1970s, and it is today one of the most prestigious in the world.- (130)

• •RELATION: Chris Langan, was an investigation into how some children with really high IQs who were born between 1903 and 1917

• “The explanation…disruption” (131-132)

• They went through panic in the streets, friends dying, the First World War, the Depression, then the Second World War.

• ‘’They didn’t have much of a chance. That was a very tough period. My father would have been much more successful in a different kind of world.’’ (139)

LESSON 2: CONTINUED

• Mort gives 2 very significant quotes regarding his father and how he was more successful than him • “ He was… edge” (133)• “My mother… dying”(138)• The focus of this lesson was the contrast between timings of birth and the differences in resources

LESSON THREE: THE GARMENT INDUSTRY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK• Louis and Regina Borgenicht came

to America in 1889 from Hamburg but where Jewish immigrants. (p.139)

• Louis and Regina struggled to provide for their family because they were immigrants (139).

• But Louis recognized the demand of clothing and created his own garments. (139)

• “He was sitting on an overturned box, eating a late lunch of the sandwiches Regina had made for him. It was clothes. Everywhere around him stores were opening- suits, dresses, overalls, shirts, skirts, blouses, trousers, all made and ready to be worn.” (p.140)

Book based on the life of Borgenicht- as well

LESSON 3: CONTINUED• Their family had the background to be successful

unlike the “peasants”

• “The Irish and Italian immigrants…world.” (149)

• Louis looked at his surroundings and found his success

• “On the evening…for sale” (141)

• The work ethic of the “grandfathers” passed on to the grandchildren

• “The most important…was practiced” (151)

• On page 152- chart which explains the transfer of work ethic

• In the end, Gladwell states that the work ethic was the main element of the garment industry and the success of the grandchildren born at the right time.

WHY THIS CHAPTER?

•We believe that Gladwell added this chapter to explain that not all that “disadvantages” (the 3 lessons) were advantages in the end.

“ Their world- their culture and generation and family history- gave them

the greatest of opportunities” (Gladwell,158).