The documentary we chose to watch as a supplement to our BLA book (Outliers) was The Lottery. While the case studies presented in the movie and the book were not entirely the same, their argument was essentially the same. In both, they argued that it is not only our innate knowledge that decides our future, but our circumstances. In Outliers, there were numerous examples as to why successful people achieve their place in history. For example, the Beatles had 10,000 hours to practice, unusual in itself, and this is how they achieved their fame. Bill Gates grew up in an area that allowed him time with a computer that few in the world had. Outliers also discussed how legacy, or background (not to be confused with heredity) is a contributing factor to success.
The Lottery was centered on the fight between charter schools and zoned schools in New York City. This was also mentioned in Outliers. In essence, the film argues that getting into the charter schools allows for a future, because there are people surrounding the students that are invested in this future. Based in Harlem, the film documents families with less than glamorous situations, but the hope of a charter school for their children would allow them to leave these situations behind.
Both pieces of literature are saying the same thing, which we Americans who believe in the "American Dream" incredulously evaluate. They claim that positive results are as much chance as ability. For example, The Lottery gets its namesake from the process of charter school enrollment. Students are randomly selected from a list to get in. It is just a chance that they will have the opportunity to succeed, an opportunity that does not exist in the zoned, city run schools. At one point in the movie, a man says (paraphrase) "it doesn't matter how good your momma is, but if you grow up in Yonkers you are in an environment that will make you end up in jail." Basically, where you are born affects your future, because it decides your environment (education, street crime as in Yonkers, etc) and therefore your results as a person.
I, like many Americans infatuated with the idea that hard work equates results, find this doctrine hard to believe. But it makes sense. Sometimes it is a little opportunity that allows for a lot of success. By backing up these claims with evidence, the authors strengthen their arguments and show the viewer that there is merit to their claim. Getting into a charter school, even if by chance, garners higher graduation rates, higher reading levels, and higher achievement. Seeing these arguments, I was able to understand that there is such a thing as luck when it comes to success.
