--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Baby Boomers grow up and write books…" description: "\"“When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why one or another individual is successful, they point to the power of a particular individual’s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-thiel-1311_baby-boom_when-baby-boomers-grow-up-and-write-book_2083586.png" --- # When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why… ![“When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why one or another individual is successful, they point to the power of a particular individual’s context as determined by chance. But they miss the even bigger social context for their own preferred explanations: a whole generation learned from…” quote by Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-thiel-1311_baby-boom_when-baby-boomers-grow-up-and-write-book_2083586.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-thiel-1311_baby-boom_when-baby-boomers-grow-up-and-write-book_2083586.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-thiel-1311_baby-boom_when-baby-boomers-grow-up-and-write-book_2083586.png) > ““When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why one or another individual is successful, they point to the power of a particular individual’s context as determined by chance. But they miss the even bigger social context for their own preferred explanations: a whole generation learned from childhood to overrate the power of chance and underrate the importance of planning. Gladwell at first appears to be making a contrarian critique of the myth of the self-made businessman, but actually his own account encapsulates the conventional view of a generation.”” [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques a generational bias that overemphasizes luck and underestimates planning, suggesting that even contrarian views often reinforce the same assumptions. **In simple terms:** People overvalue chance and undervalue planning, even when critiquing that belief. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance luck and planning in success. Themes generational bias luck vs planning self‑made myth Mood critical analytical Type sociology philosophy When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurship - education - policy making Key Concepts cognitive bias social psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure the impact of planning versus chance? A Different Perspective The claim may oversimplify complex success factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baby boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boom/) [Baby boomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boomer/) [Baby boomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boomers/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Contrarian Critique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrarian-critique-4082392/) [Critique Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critique-myth-4082394/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generation Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-learned-625189/) [Planning Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-gladwell-4082393/) ## Related quotes > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Guitar makes even have a word for these baby-boomers-who-alwyas-wanted-to-be-great-guitarists-and-now-have-the-money-to-indulge-those-dreams: dentists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brookes/guitar-makes-even-have-a-word-for-these-baby-boomers-who-alwyas/) [Tim Brookes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brookes/) > [The baby boomers are the most spoiled, most self-centered, most narcissistic generation the country's ever produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/the-baby-boomers-are-the-most-spoiled-most-self-centered-most/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [There is this idea that appealing to youth is the only way forward. But that is no longer the case. Youth is not everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-is-this-idea-that-appealing-to-youth-is-the-only-way-forward/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [A lot of baby boomers are baby bongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/a-lot-of-baby-boomers-are-baby-bongers/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [“The baby boomer generation, my own, is content, if of the Left, to live out our remaining years upon the work and upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-baby-boomer-generation-my-own-is-content-if-of-the-left-to-live/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“Whatever science has done to destroy the world, it has unquestionably saved the lives of women and their babies. Nature is not gentle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/whatever-science-has-done-to-destroy-the-world-it-has-unquestionably/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [The baby boomers have dropped the ball on their burden of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/the-baby-boomers-have-dropped-the-ball-on-their-burden-of/) [Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/) > [Baby boomers selling your rumors of their history, forcein' youth away from the truth of what's real today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/baby-boomers-selling-your-rumors-of-their-history-forcein-youth-away/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [We're just not ready for the retirement of the Baby Boomers. And we'd better prepare for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-re-just-not-ready-for-the-retirement-of-the-baby-boomers-and-we-d/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [There were all us baby boomers who had a grammar school education, started to learn, then went on the pill, the whole thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-all-us-baby-boomers-who-had-a-grammar-school-education/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [While I do occasionally order items on the Internet, it's hard to teach an old shopper new tricks. I'm convinced that the catalogue will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/while-i-do-occasionally-order-items-on-the-internet-it-s-hard-to/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [Maybe it will be a great thing when the Baby Boomers finally die out. In real life, it's not a matter of the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-bowman/maybe-it-will-be-a-great-thing-when-the-baby-boomers-finally-die-out/) [Jack Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-bowman/) > [I don't know if the idea of a career in show business or in the arts in general was looked down upon as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-sudeikis/i-don-t-know-if-the-idea-of-a-career-in-show-business-or-in-the-arts/) [Jason Sudeikis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-sudeikis/) > [The reality is that baby boomers are turning senior citizens and not only is it inhumane, but the system will go broke. There needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-suozzi/the-reality-is-that-baby-boomers-are-turning-senior-citizens-and-not/) [Thomas Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-suozzi/) ## More by Peter Thiel > [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you think about basic science or coming up with new theories of mathematics, these are not the kinds of things which are necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-think-about-basic-science-or-coming-up-with-new-theories-of/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Time and decision-making themselves follow a power law, and some moments matter far more than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/time-and-decision-making-themselves-follow-a-power-law-and-some/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. In philosophy, politics, and business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-we-exaggerate-the-differences-between-left-liberal/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [When you already have $150 billion a year in revenues from the iPhone, it's very hard to come up with any new vertical that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/when-you-already-have-150-billion-a-year-in-revenues-from-the-iphone/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“CREATIVE MONOPOLY means new products that benefit everybody and sustainable profits for the creator. Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets left to be discovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/we-have-given-up-our-sense-of-wonder-at-secrets-left-to-be-discovered/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today our society is permeated by the twin ideas that death is both inevitable and random.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-our-society-is-permeated-by-the-twin-ideas-that-death-is-both/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“if your company can be summed up by its opposition to already existing firms, it can’t be completely new and it’s probably not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-your-company-can-be-summed-up-by-its-opposition-to-already/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Is a lukewarm attitude to one’s work a sign of mental health? Is a merely professional attitude the only sane approach?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/is-a-lukewarm-attitude-to-one-s-work-a-sign-of-mental-health-is-a/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“If you’ve invented something new but you haven’t invented an effective way to sell it, you have a bad business—no matter how good the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-ve-invented-something-new-but-you-haven-t-invented-an/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [The business model piece is we're always talking about competing more effectively. If you're starting a company or career you don't want to compete.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/the-business-model-piece-is-we-re-always-talking-about-competing-more/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you invest in Microsoft or Oracle, or a number of other companies for that matter, you're fundamentally making a bet that there's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-invest-in-microsoft-or-oracle-or-a-number-of-other-companies/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Our economy is broken. I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump. He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) [Explore all 257 Peter Thiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## More Baby boom quotes > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [We live in an age of generational turmoil. Baby-boom parents are accused of clinging on to jobs and houses which they should be freeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-ridley/we-live-in-an-age-of-generational-turmoil-baby-boom-parents-are/) [Jane Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-ridley/) > [I don't know if the idea of a career in show business or in the arts in general was looked down upon as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-sudeikis/i-don-t-know-if-the-idea-of-a-career-in-show-business-or-in-the-arts/) [Jason Sudeikis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-sudeikis/) > [Jews took it very seriously to marry other Jews and repopulate the Jewish bloodline, and my father's generation gets very serious in my household…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-lerman/jews-took-it-very-seriously-to-marry-other-jews-and-repopulate-the/) [Logan Lerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-lerman/) > [The baby boom is about to become a patient boom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-mcguinty/the-baby-boom-is-about-to-become-a-patient-boom/) [Dalton McGuinty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-mcguinty/) > [Every generation trash-talks younger generations. Baby boomers labeled Generation X a group of tattooed slackers and materialists; Generation Xers have branded millennials as iPhone-addicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/every-generation-trash-talks-younger-generations-baby-boomers-labeled/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) > [Packed with fascinating personal perspective and testimony, Michael Takiffs A Complicated Man wholly justifies its title. The book is far more than a kaleidoscopic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-hamilton/packed-with-fascinating-personal-perspective-and-testimony-michael/) [Nigel Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-hamilton/) > [One of the hallmarks of the baby boomer generation is that it doesnt live like the previous generation. It hasnt yet given up jeans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-klugman/one-of-the-hallmarks-of-the-baby-boomer-generation-is-that-it-doesnt/) [Ron Klugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-klugman/) > [“For those readers who are Boomers, or have parents or grandparents who are Boomers, it may be of small comfort that this book does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cannon-gibney/for-those-readers-who-are-boomers-or-have-parents-or-grandparents-who/) [Bruce Cannon Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cannon-gibney/) > [Maybe it will be a great thing when the Baby Boomers finally die out. In real life, it's not a matter of the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-bowman/maybe-it-will-be-a-great-thing-when-the-baby-boomers-finally-die-out/) [Jack Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-bowman/) > [Baby boomer media like 'The Times' is a laughingstock, and we should do whatever we can to ridicule it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/baby-boomer-media-like-the-times-is-a-laughingstock-and-we-should-do/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [A masterwork. A particularly American magic realism that touches the heart of race and childhood in our country; it's 100 Years of Solitude for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/a-masterwork-a-particularly-american-magic-realism-that-touches-the/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) > [The well-heeled Baby Boomer demographic, which has discretionary money to spend on gambling, has long been a primary target for casinos ...And given yesterday's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-ross/the-well-heeled-baby-boomer-demographic-which-has-discretionary-money/) [Ryan Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-ross/) > [I think the Baby Boom has enjoyed itself, maybe sometimes a little too much, and we're continuing to enjoy ourselves, maybe a little too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-think-the-baby-boom-has-enjoyed-itself-maybe-sometimes-a-little-too/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [While I do occasionally order items on the Internet, it's hard to teach an old shopper new tricks. I'm convinced that the catalogue will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/while-i-do-occasionally-order-items-on-the-internet-it-s-hard-to/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) [Browse all 141 Baby boom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why one or another individual is successful, they point to the power of a particular individual’s context as determined by chance. But they miss the even bigger social context for their own preferred explanations: a whole generation learned from childhood to overrate the power of chance and underrate the importance of planning. 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