Happy Easter!

The writings of Malcolm Gladwell always reflect the pride of Archimede: “Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the earth.” From “Tipping Point” and “Blink,” his early writings, to “David and Goliath,” which I read in this holiday, I am sure that he is good at explaining how to make a difference from a new perspective. In his view, David’s victory over Goliath was not a miracle but a strategic analysis with rigorous assessment of strengths and limitations from new perspectives. Traditionally, it is seen as a suicide in front of the giant. Yet, the new perspective sees it as a silly resistance in front of a rifle.

“David and Goliath” not only uses this well-known biblical story to explain the common misunderstanding of superiority. During the First World War, Turks had a significant military advantage over Arabs. Yet, the Arabs won because of their expertise in finding water sources in the desert. The right method is not necessarily good; repeating use of effective strategies can be counterproductive. Success is not after failures but the habit of getting along well with difficulties.

That’s why we are sure that Henriettans are stronger than they believe. We do not need to create for our kids failure, but we must encourage them to get along well with difficulties. Or more importantly, “give them a stage to stand on, and believe that they can move the world.”

Kenneth H. Ng (Principal)
Henrietta Secondary School